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Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0159 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP – Extension

This waiver extends the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the SFSP  through Dec. 31, 2020, in conjunction with the Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option Operations through December 2020.

COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #51
08/31/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0107 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibilities in the Summer Food Service Program

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.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #16
07/02/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0097 Nationwide Waiver to Allow Offer Versus Serve Flexibility for Senior High Schools in the NSLP for SY 2020–21

FNS is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus for school year 2020-21.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #37
06/25/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0038 Summer Food Service Program Memoranda Rescission

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance for state agencies and program operators on the status of nationwide waivers of statutory and regulatory requirements in the Summer Food Service Program.

SFSP01-2019
10/11/2018
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0026 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.

SP29-2017
05/10/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0013 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 FNS has received from state agencies, school food authorities, and local program operators.

SP23-2017
03/23/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0094 Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program

This memorandum outlines the use of offer versus serve in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the use of family style meals in the CACFP.

CACFP05-2017
12/09/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0051 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.

SP51-2016
08/05/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0046 Unpaid Meal Charges: Clarification on Collection of Delinquent Meal Payments

There has been confusion about how unpaid meal charges must be handled when all collection efforts have been exhausted. To help address these situations, this memorandum clarifies the processes of designating delinquent debt that has been determined to be uncollectable as bad debt and obtaining assistance to offset bad debt losses.

SP47-2016
07/13/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0045 Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies

The purpose of this memorandum is to address the need for school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to institute and clearly communicate a meal charge policy, which would include, if applicable, the availability of alternate meals.

SP46-2016
07/08/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021