Questions and Answers #2: Summer 2023 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas

This memorandum is the second set of questions and answers on the rural non-congregate summer meals option established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 (the Act) (PL 117-328). The Act authorized permanent, non-congregate meal service through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for rural areas with no congregate meal service. The first memorandum in this series, SFSP 01-2023, SP 05-2023 Implementation Guidance: Summer 2023 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas – Revised, was published on Feb. 28, 2023, and is available at https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/implementation-guidance-summer-2023-noncongregate-meal-service-rural-areas. This memorandum reflects additional feedback and questions received from state and local partners following the publication of the first memorandum. The following operational topics are addressed in this guidance:

• State Agency Approval of Non-Congregate Meal Service
• Sponsor, Site, and Participant Eligibility
• Meal Service
• Monitoring
• Reporting
• General/Miscellaneous

FNS appreciates the exceptional efforts of state agencies and local program operators working to meet the nutritional needs of participants during the summer months. We look forward to working with our program partners and other stakeholders on the administration and operation of the non-congregate meal service for rural communities during summer 2023.

State agencies are reminded to distribute this memorandum to program operators immediately. Program operators should direct any questions concerning this guidance to their state agency. State agencies with questions should contact the appropriate FNS regional office.

Attachment

• Questions & Answers