Nutrition Program Bulletin – Week of June 8, 2020

Each section contains updates relevant to those nutrition programs. You can jump to the section you're interested in by clicking the link.

• All Nutrition Programs
• School Nutrition Programs

All Nutrition Programs

Nationwide Waiver Extensions

The USDA FNS recently released guidance extending the use of four nationwide waivers and one statewide waiver. For more information, please review the full text of the waivers:

• The Nationwide Waiver to Extend Area Eligibility Waivers allows the Minnesota Department of Education to extend the current statewide Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Area Eligibility Waiver, which allows certain SFSP sites with less than 50 percent free or reduced-price-eligible students to operate as open sites. This waiver has been extended through August 31, 2020.  Details on use of this waiver will be provided in future announcements.
• The Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child Nutrition Programs – Extension allows meal pattern flexibility due to disruptions to the availability of foods. This waiver has been extended through July 31, 2020. To learn more about using this waiver, please read the Child Nutrition Meal Pattern Waiver Questions and Answers document.
• The Nationwide Waiver of Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – Extension waives some of the monitoring requirements and suspends onsite sponsor visits. This waiver has been extended through August 31, 2020.
• The Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements in the School Meals Programs – Revised – Extension waives a number of onsite monitoring requirements for school food authorities and State agencies. This waiver has been extended through August 31, 2020.
• The Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for Sponsoring Organizations in the Summer Food Service Program – Extension waives onsite monitoring requirements for sponsoring organizations in the SFSP. This waiver has been extended through August 31, 2020.

Waiver Extension Requests

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is requesting extensions from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the following four waivers:

• The Minnesota Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) Parent Pick Up Waiver allows parents or guardians to pick up FFVP snacks without children present. Currently it is approved through June 30, 2020.
• The Nationwide Non-Congregate Feeding Waiver – Extension waives congregate feeding requirements in all Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs). Currently it is approved through August 31, 2020.
• The Meal Times Nationwide Waiver – Extension waives meal service time requirements in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Currently it is approved through August 31, 2020.
• The Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children – Extension allows parents or guardians to pick up meals and snacks from the CACFP, NSLP, SBP, and SFSP without children present. Currently it is approved through August 31, 2020.

MDE is requesting that all four waivers be extended through June 30, 2021. More information on MDE’s request to extend these waivers will be included in future bulletins.

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT)

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is now offering additional funds for the families of children ages 5 to 18 who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. This new program, called Pandemic EBT (P-EBT), will provide $325 per child that families can use to purchase nutritious food for their household. Families with children who received free or reduced-price meals at school, and who were between the ages of 5 and 18 on Sept. 1, 2019, may qualify. Benefits are available to two groups:

• Families receiving Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on March 18, 2020. Benefits for these families were issued automatically and appeared on their EBT balance on May 30, 2020.
• Families receiving free or reduced-price school meals, but not SNAP or MFIP benefits. These families need to fill out a short application for a P-EBT card. Families can apply between June 8, 2020, and June 30, 2020. If approved, families will receive a P-EBT card in the mail, which will arrive with the funds preloaded.

We need your help to communicate this important information to families you serve. You may use the following communication materials to promote P-EBT. The documents are provided in Microsoft Word to allow you to tailor the message to your particular school.

Sample letter for families for P-EBT

Sample Social Media Communications for P-EBT

Sample flyer for P-EBT in Word and PDF

Food Service Management Company (FMSC) Contracts Questions and Answers Memo

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently released a memo containing questions and answers related to the Nationwide Waiver of Food Service Management Contract Duration in the NSLP and SFSP during COVID-19. This memo is intended to provide guidance on contract duration requirements, maintenance fees, contract modifications, billing of additional costs, extension of supplier contracts, documentation requirements for food safety inspections, and allowable costs. For more information, please review Questions and Answers related to FSMC Contracts and Allowable Costs during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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School Nutrition Programs

Community Eligibility Provision: Notification of District and Site Proxy Data

The lists of 2020-21 School Food Authority (SFA) and site proxy data is now available on the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) webpage.

• The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows eligible districts and/or schools in low-income areas to provide school lunches and breakfasts at no charge to all students, using simplified meal counting and claiming procedures.
• To be eligible, School Food Authorities (SFAs) and/or schools must have a minimum Identified Student Percentage (ISP) of 40 percent any single day between April 1 and June 30, 2020. For more information on how the ISP is calculated, visit the MDE CEP webpage.
• Use the Community Eligibility Provision Application Instructions to begin preparing your CEP application.
• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) applications for School Year 2020-21 are due no later than August 31, 2020.

Please contact cep.mde@state.mn.us if you have any questions regarding CEP.

School Nutrition COVID-19 Webinar

Weekly webinars will be held on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. to update school nutrition program staff on issues related to COVID-19. Select the links below to register for the webinars.

Register for School Nutrition COVID-19 Update 6-16-2020

Register for School Nutrition COVID-19 Update 6-23-2020

Register for School Nutrition COVID-19 Update 6-30-2020

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