USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
USDA has issued guidance to states in implementing FFCRA of 2020 which provides for the issuance of emergency allotments based on a public health emergency declaration by the Secretary of HHS under the Public Health Service Act related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a state has also issued an emergency or disaster declaration.
FNS has used its authority under FFRCA to waive certain onsite monitoring requirements for the school meals programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program, so that programs can to maintain program integrity and support social distancing while providing meals.
FNS is allowing states flexibility regarding fair hearing timeframes. As needed, state agencies may extend the fair hearings process up to 120 days from receipt of the request for fair hearings that were already in process or for which requests are received from March 1 through May 31, 2020.
FNS will allow state agencies to suspend SNAP regulations by allowing flexibility in the time frame for establishing or disposing of new claims as well as by not requiring collection of active recoupment of SNAP overpayments, delaying collection on newly established overpayments, and not considering any payments delayed due to this suspension to be delinquent.
As authorized by section 2302 of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, FNS will allow state agencies to make specific adjustments.
Due to the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, USDA is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.
Program operators in a state with an approved waiver allowing non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children for school year 2020-21. FNS recognizes that continuing to require children to come to the meal site to pick up meals may not be practical and in keeping with the goal of providing meals while also taking appropriate safety measures.
FNS is granting a nationwide waiver to allow state agencies to reimburse Summer Food Service Program sponsors for meals served prior to the sponsor receiving written notification that the sponsor or site has been approved for participation in the Program. FNS is also waiving the requirement for state agencies to conduct pre-approval visits of SFSP sponsors and sites.
During the public health emergency due to COVID-19, FNS waives, for all states, requirements that limit the use of Offer Versus Serve to school food authorities and require sponsors to apply OVS under the rules followed for the National School Lunch Program. This waiver applies to state agencies administering and local organizations operating SFSP.