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.
Learn more about COVID-19 food safety resources available to FNS program operators including new resources for school nutrition professionals from the Institute of Child Nutrition.
FNS is offering a suite of operational flexibilities that will be available to child nutrition programs for summer 2022 and school year 2022-23.
Letter to states from the USDA Secretary to encourage you to help schools in your state keep kids fed despite ongoing challenges associated with the pandemic, ongoing supply chain issues, and labor shortages.
On July 7, 2022, the FNS hosted a webinar with the National CACFP Sponsors Association, along with other national allies to discuss the child nutrition program operations for summer 2022. Questions and answers are provided based on the nationwide waiver flexibilities issued through the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022.
FNS is offering this comparison table to assist state agencies and program operators as they transition from school year (SY) 2021-22 operations under COVID-19 nationwide waivers and flexibilities to operations designed around their own unique circumstances for SY 2022-23.
Nationwide waiver of the summer sponsor application deadline and to allow reimbursement for meals served prior to notification of approval for summer 2022 operations.
Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and based on the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, FNS is extending the nationwide waiver to allow meal service operations outside of the standard meal service times in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option through Sept. 30, 2022.
Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and based on the exceptional circumstance of the COVID-19 pandemic, FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to allow parents and guardians to pick up meals for children in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option through Sept. 30, 2022.
Pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and based on the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, FNS is extending a nationwide waiver to allow non-congregate meal service in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option through Sept. 30, 2022.