The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released several policy memos.
-
COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #26: Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child Nutrition Programs – EXTENSION 3
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.
- This waives the requirements to serve meals that meet the meal pattern requirements.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
- Sponsors are approved on a case-by-case basis - Contact your program specialist.
- This waiver remains in effect until July 31, 2020.
- As a reminder, Federal procurement regulations at 2 CFR 200.320(f) allow procurement by noncompetitive proposals when there is a public emergency.
-
COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #30: Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for Sponsoring Organizations in the Summer Food Service Program – EXTENSION through August 31, 2020
- This waiver applies to all organizations operating the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the unanticipated school closure.
- This waives onsite monitoring requirements, but requires sponsors to monitor program operations offsite to the maximum extent practicable.
- Washington state will participate in this waiver.
-
COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #31: Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for State Agencies in the Summer Food Service Program – EXTENSION through August 31, 2020
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP).
- This waiver allows OSPI CNS to conduct Administrative Reviews as a desk audit and waives the requirement for on-site visits for reviews during the emergency.
- Washington state will participate in this waiver.
-
COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #32: Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers through August 31, 2020
- This waiver allows SFSP and SSO sponsors in good standing to operate open sites in areas consistent with the State plan, but not located in “Areas in which poor economic conditions exist”.
- If you plan to use this waiver and did not indicate this on your submitted Electronic Application Checklist - you must complete the Meal Distribution Plan and Waiver Updates survey.
- FNS reserves the right to withdraw this approval subject to availability of funding
- Washington state will participate in this waiver.
-
SP 21-2020, CACFP12-2020, SFSP 12-2020: Q&A Related to Food Service Management Company Contracts and Allowable Costs during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- This memo reviews common questions and answers for sponsors working with a FSMC.
- Topics include: Contracts and Other Contracted Suppliers, Monitoring, and Allowable Costs.
- If you have questions, please email Jeff Booth.
Please review the linked policy memos for more details about these waivers.
Questions? Please reach out to your program specialist.
Anticipated plans for your Summer Food Service Program operation may change after you have completed your summer meals application and submitted the Electronic Application Checklist.
If you would like to include sites that are not area eligible and you did not indicate this on your submitted online checklist, you must complete the survey below.
OSPI makes the information provided from your WINS application and the electronic application checklist available to the community. If details of your service change you must communicate updates of your meal distribution plan and waivers. This survey is crucial for those needing to find summer meal sites.
Submit your Meal Distribution Plan & Waiver Updates survey here.
This survey is only for changes to the already submitted electronic checklists. This link will remain live all summer to capture changes that may occur.
Possible WINS changes may include:
- Calendar Start/end dates
- Changes to Average Daily Attendance
- Adding sites-contact your specialist to do this
Possible Meal Distribution Plan changes may include:
- Use of the area eligibility waiver
- Changing days of meal distribution
- Providing more than one meal at a time
- Providing multiple days' worth of meals
Questions? Unsure if you need to make adjustments? Please contact your program specialist.
It is important to advertise the availability of summer meals locations.
Even if there won’t be a summer feeding program in your community, you can share resources that allow households to locate summer meals in the area.
There are a number of resources, in both English and Spanish, to raise awareness in your community.
USDA's Team Nutrition recently released new resources!
These 'Providing Multiple Meals at a Time for Children During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic' tip sheets provide information about using bulk foods and distributing multiple meals at a time.
OSPI has developed reusable 6 ft. x 3ft. banners to help promote your SFSP sites this summer. You can order these banners to be shipped to you at no cost by completing the order form below. Sponsors can order up to one banner per SFSP site they plan to operate this summer.
IMPORTANT - Deliveries cannot be sent to a PO Box and someone must be available to accept the delivery.
Order your banners here
Farmers in Washington grow over 300 different foods, and summer is the time of year when farmers near you have the freshest fruits and vegetables around. Buying local foods directly from farms or through distributors is both allowed and encouraged by USDA for the Summer Food Service Program.
If you’re unsure how to start, or want to expand your purchases from local farmers this year, check out the resources and support below:
Have questions? Contact Bianca Smith.
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has released a COVID-19 grant opportunity from partners at the Albertsons Companies Foundation to increase participation in the summer meals programs. Intermediary organizations, Child Nutrition Program Sponsors, and schools can apply for funding.
Some examples of how funding may be used, includes:
- Transportation
- Food purchasing
- Connections/Marketing/Outreach
- Temporary Hires to make up for lack of volunteers
- Capacity
- Technical Assistance
- Equipment, PPE, and packaging
The grant application is located on the Albertsons Companies Foundation webpage.
Applications are due today, June 22 at 11:59 pm PT.
Questions? Contact Christy.Duncan-Anderson@albertsons.com.
June 24
|
Weekly School Meals and Summer Programs Sponsors Call - 2pm | Register Here
|
|