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Resource | Webinars/Videos Unpaid Meals: Best Practices to Ensure Student Access to Meals

A webinar for state agencies and local program operators sharing proactive strategies to prevent and manage unpaid meal charges as schools return to standard counting and claiming in SY 2022-23.

08/31/2022
Resource | Forms FNS-155: Inventory Management Register

FNS requires that inventories do not exceed a six-month supply of any USDA Foods without approval from FNS. Per 7 CFR 250.17(a), state agencies administering TEFAP are required to use Form FNS-155, Inventory Management Register, to report any food items in state and state-contracted warehouses that exceed six months of inventory.

09/09/2021
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08/23/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Management of Donated Food Inventories at Processors

This memorandum addresses inventory limitations and requirements that USDA Foods processors must follow when manufacturing processed end products for use in child nutrition programs.

04/02/2019
Resource | Training and Outreach Unpaid Meal Charges

The goal of the school meal programs is to provide nutritious meals to children during the school day. Children may receive breakfast and lunch at no cost to them if they are categorically eligible for free meals or if they qualify for free meals based on federal poverty guidelines. Sometimes, however, children who do not qualify based on these standards would like a breakfast or lunch, but do not have money in their account or in-hand to cover the cost of the meal at the time of the meal service.

11/07/2018
Resource | Webinars/Videos Monitoring with the FDPIR Inventory Calculator

This webinar provided an overview of the FDPIR Inventory Calculator and the FDPIR inventory monitoring process and discussed how to complete an inventory calculator, how to analyze the calculator results, and how the inventory calculator can help with order monitoring and planning. This webinar is appropriate for staff who use or will use the calculator, Team Leads, and Branch Chiefs.

01/30/2018
Resource | Policy Memos 2017 Edition: Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge - Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools

This is the 2017 Edition of Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge: Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools. This best practice guide is designed to support state agencies and local program operators in their efforts to find workable solutions to the challenge of unpaid meal charges.

05/10/2017
Resource | Webinars/Videos Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Charge Policy Requirement

No later than July 1, 2017, all school food authorities (SFAs) operating National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Program must have a written policy in place to address situations where children participating at the reduced price or paid rate do not have money to cover the cost of a meal at the time of the meal service. SFAs have discretion in developing the specifics of their policies, and FNS expects charge policies will vary based on local circumstances and available resources. This webinar provides an overview of the local charge policy requirement and shares best practices for successful policy development.

04/04/2017
Resource | Policy Unpaid Meal Charges: Guidance and Q&As

This question and answer memorandum is designed to provide an overview of policies related to unpaid meal charges and to address common questions we have received from state agencies, school food authorities, and local program operators.

03/23/2017
Resource | Policy Memos Ensuring Year-long Eligibility in the School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to strongly encourage local educational agencies to accept eligibility determinations from a transferring student’s former LEA to minimize disruptions in meal benefits for low-income students and avoid student debt resulting from unpaid meal charges.

08/05/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021