What's new with USDA Summer Nutrition Programs?
 USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs (SUN Programs) can now reach more kids than ever before. Through the suite of SUN Programs, families have more ways to get summer nutrition support for their children and teens with SUN Bucks, SUN Meals, and SUN Meals To-Go. We’re calling these enhanced offerings SUN Programs: USDA’s Summer Nutrition Programs for Kids and promoting them in 2024 through the “More Summer Smiles” campaign.
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SUN Meals To-Go | Meals for pick-up or delivery: In some rural communities where in-person meal service is not available, summer meal operators now have the option to provide meals via grab-n-go or delivery (also known as non-congregate meal service).
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SUN Meals | Free meals at neighborhood locations: Meals served and eaten onsite at community centers, schools, and other central locations remain a vital part of the summer nutrition programs, providing a sense of community and enrichment opportunities for kids.
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SUN Bucks | New grocery benefit: Starting in summer 2024, states, territories, and tribes can provide grocery-buying benefits — officially called Summer EBT — to families of eligible children for purchasing food at authorized retailers in the summer months.
Please help us spread the word about SUN Programs! Check out the new SUN Programs Promotional Toolkit to access free, downloadable materials and resources including social media content, web banners, flyers, posters, newsletter content, and more. Materials are available in multiple languages, and you can download shareable materials to promote SUN programs and spread summer smiles.
Below are additional links and resources:
Summer EBT — A Tested and Effective Strategy for Ending Summer Hunger
Summer EBT is a proven game-changer in the fight against child hunger. Summer EBT is evidence-based policy at its best! Research shows that providing families with summer grocery benefits reduces child hunger and supports healthier diets. USDA tested Summer EBT as a demonstration project in select States and certain Indian Tribal Organizations for several years. Click below to learn more.
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Final Changes to the WIC Food Packages
WIC is a powerful and proven public health program that helps women, infants and children thrive. Now, we’re making science-based improvements to the food available through WIC.
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USDA School Meals: Together, We Can Give Kids a Healthier Future
Good nutrition is critical to success in the classroom and beyond. But unfortunately, many children are not getting the nutrients they need. Since USDA school meal programs reach around 30 million children each school day from all communities and backgrounds across the country, ensuring these meals are highly nutritious is one of America’s best opportunities to improve child health.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our many school meal partners, school nutrition has come a long way. And in April, USDA Secretary Vilsack announced pivotal updates that USDA-FNS is making to the school nutrition standards that builds on the extraordinary progress that has been made over the last decade in a way that’s workable and keeps child health at the forefront by:
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Reducing the amounts of added sugars in school meals, especially at breakfast
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Making it easier to offer healthy proteins at breakfast
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Scaling back sodium levels over time
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Continuing to emphasize fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, to give kids the right balance of nutrients for healthy, tasty meals
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To learn more about the new nutrition standards, watch this 1 ½ minute YouTube video.
And check out these additional resources:
WIC & FMNP Outreach, Innovation, and Modernization Dashboard
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USDA is investing in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) to reach more eligible families, keep families in WIC while they remain eligible, encourage families to redeem more of their food benefits, and advance equity. The dashboard tracks the progress of this work.
The audience for this public dashboard includes the public, WIC state agencies, and other external stakeholders, such as partners, advocates, and academics.
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Clear Lake, Iowa: Trailblazer of Healthy School Meals
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher, Midwest Child Nutrition Director Samia Hamdan and others visited Clear Lake, Iowa to recognize the Clear Lake Community School District for its trailblazing and innovative efforts to improve the nutritional quality of meals for students.
Clear Lake is one of many school districts in the Midwest to receive a Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award for their efforts to ensure the meals they serve are healthy, nutritious, and enjoyable for students. Clear Lake was one of the first four winners of these awards, jointly created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Action for Healthy Kids as part of USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative. And since then, 21 other School Food Authorities (SFAs) across the Midwest states have been recognized with an HMI Recognition Award including two others in Iowa, three each in Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio, four in Michigan and six in Wisconsin. To see what SFAs have been awarded, click here: Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Awardee Spotlight.
 Top: Clear Lake Community School District Food Service Director Julie Udelhofen, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, Action for Healthy Kids Executive Officer and President Rob Bisceglie, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Executive Director Jami Haberl, Kittleson Brothers Potatoes and Onions Co-Owner Beth Rachut, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Specialist Teresa Wiemerslage.
Bottom: Clear Lake Community School Food Service team with Barbara Mechura and Rob Bisceglie, both with Action for Healthy Kids, and Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher and Child Nutrition Division Director Samia Hamdan.
School Breakfast Week Celebrations and Industry Visits in Minnesota
Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher, FNS Administrator Cindy Long, and other FNS staff visited with Bertrand Weber, Director, Culinary and Wellness Services, Minneapolis Public Schools and his school lunch staff to discuss healthy school meals. Other stops on the trip included: a visit with Cargill to participate in taste tests and talk about product development, lunch with Franklin Middle School children, a tour of Minneapolis Public Schools central kitchen, a roundtable conversation about school meals with farmers, school food directors and other partners, a press conference in the Fridley Middle School Cafeteria with Minnesota Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan, and Department of Ed Commissioner Jett to celebrate School Breakfast and Minnesota Free School Meals for Kids, and a visit with General Mills to talk about their products and school meals standards. It was a jam packed several days!
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Top: FNS Administrator (AO) Cindy Long and others tour the Minneapolis Public Schools central kitchen.
Bottom left: AO Long gets several thumbs up from kids eating school lunch at Franklin Middle School in Minneapolis.
Bottom right: a smiling student with school breakfast at Fridley Middle School in Fridley, MN.
Toledo Area Anti-Hunger Partners Meet at ProMedica
In April, USDA Deputy Under Secretary Stacy Dean (DUSEC) visited ProMedica in Toledo, Ohio to learn about its nationally recognized efforts to promote nutrition security, and tour its Market on the Green, a grocery store opened in 2015 in a food desert. Market on the Green is SNAP and WIC authorized. Just above the store, ProMedica has space designated for food preparation demos and workforce development.
DUSEC Dean and Midwest team members also participated in a nutrition security roundtable with Toledo area leaders and organizations in the health and nutrition security sectors. During the roundtable at ProMedica's Ebeid Center, the stakeholders talked about their work with federal feeding programs and discussed their successes and struggles. Participants included United Way, ProMedica, several food banks, CareNet, Area on Aging and others.
 Top: DUSEC Stacy Dean walks Market on the Green with Adrienne Bradley, Director of Community Impact and Social Investments at ProMedica.
Bottom: roundtable participants including Ohio Department of Health, Islamic Food Bank, Lucas County WIC, Connecting Kids with Meals and others.
Illinois Launches Summer EBT -- Ensuring Children Stay Fed.
In May, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker announced that Summer EBT would be available in Illinois to provide additional food assistance to over 1 million children this summer.
 Top left: Midwest Deputy Regional Administrator Jacob Hoots and Midwest SNAP Director Melissa Cundari.
Top right: Greater Chicago Food Depository CEO and co-chair of the Illinois Commission to End Hunger Kate Maehr and FNCS DUSEC Stacy Dean.
Bottom: Kate Maehr, Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Secretary Dulce Quintero, IDHS Special Project Manager Jonathan Claytor, IDHS Division of Family and Children Services Interim Director Leslie Cully, Governor JB Pritzker, DUSEC Stacy Dean and Deputy Governor for Health and Human Services Grace Hou.
Consulting and Collaborating with Our Tribal Partners
We are very fortunate to have Midwest Tribal Affairs Specialist, Joe Geary (a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and veteran of the Army National Guard) on our Midwest team. See below photos of Joe and others consulting, coordinating, and collaborating to enhance access to USDA's various programs and services available to tribes, tribal organizations and citizens.
 Above photos: Members of the Midwest team visit with three tribes in Wisconsin.
 Top: Members of the Midwest team visit the Pokagon tribe of the Potawatomi in Dowagiac, MI.
Bottom: Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher, Midwest Deputy Regional Administrator Jacob Hoots, Anna Borchardt and Midwest Tribal Affairs Specialist Joe Geary stand in front of the Betty Jo Graveen Food Distribution Center sign at Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians.
Betty Jo Graveen (April 19, 1940 - May 18, 2024) dedicated herself to the Lac du Flambeau food distribution program for an astounding 45 years. Her leadership ensured that countless families had access to essential resources and nutrition they needed. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Betty will be remembered for her boundless generosity and her infectious sense of humor.
Midwest Out and About
In the Midwest, we RISE. We strive to Respect everyone, do our work with Integrity, and Serve our community with Excellence. We are Midwest!
 Top: Midwest Child Nutrition Division pose for a photo at Indian Community School in Franklin, WI.
Middle left: Midwest Farm to School Specialist Angie Rupchock-Schafer holds a tray of fresh veggies at Stadium Drive Elementary in Boardman, OH to celebrate nutrition security and farm to school.
Bottom left: Supplemental Nutrition Division Director Nancy Ranieri stands beside two pull-up banners highlighting WIC.
Right: Tribal Affairs Specialist Joe Geary participates in a Pow Wow in St. Paul, MN.
 Top: Midwest's Summer EBT team in Dallas. Clockwise from front center: Mike Chambers, Gina Brand, Samia Hamdan, Jheanell West, Joe Mazur, Maged Hanafi, Christina Palazzolo, Merdis Hudson, Kelly Leatherman, Sandra Lehner, Holly Prestegaard, and Kilon Peden.
Middle left: Midwest Regional Administrator Dr. Vista Suarez Fletcher celebrates National School Breakfast Week and walks the red carpet with Chicago Public School VIPs at Disney II Magnet School in Chicago.
Middle right: Public Affairs Specialist and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Penny Weaver at the University of Michigan where the Peace Corps was announced in 1960. Learn more: JFK at the Union
Bottom: Child Nutrition team members participated in a team building activity at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and scooped pasta with a smile.
Midwest Region Turnip the Beet 2023 Award Winners!
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Summer meals are critical in the lives of millions of our nation’s youth, whose risk for nutrition insecurity increases during the summer months when they no longer have access to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). The Summer Food Service Program positively impacts children’s growth and development by connecting kids with nutritious meals when school is out.
The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors across the nation who work hard to offer high quality meals to children that are appetizing, appealing, and nutritious during the summer months.
FNS recently announced the winners of the Turnip the Beet award for summer 2023! Across the country, 140 summer meal sponsors were recognized with either a gold, silver, or bronze award. In the Midwest, we had 37 award winners. Click to see the Midwest winners and here to see a list of all the winners!
We held our first-ever Turnip the Beet Virtual Award Celebration in April to recognize 2023 awardees and share the great SFSP work being done in the Midwest Region. Click here to watch a brief celebratory video:https://youtu.be/vwL84VSmvGY
Congratulations to all awardees, and thanks to everyone working to ensure nutrition security for our nation's children during the summer months.
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School Food Systems Transformation Challenge Grants Awarded in Iowa and Michigan
USDA-FNS recently announced the first round of grant awards for school food system transformation:
- Boise State University’s Center for School and Community Partnerships awarded a total of $1.67 million in grants to 12 rural school districts. These Supporting Community Agriculture and Local Education Systems grants, also known as Project SCALES grants, will help schools establish partnerships that make it easier for them to buy local foods.
- The Chef Ann Foundation awarded grants to eight project teams across the nation, for a total of $4.79 million in grants. These Partnerships for Local Agriculture & Nutrition Transformation in Schools grants, also known as PLANTS grants, will support projects that are led by local partners with systemic and equity-driven approaches to transforming school food supply chains.
Congratulations to the following sub-grant recipients in the Midwest Region:
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Project SCALES: Eastern Allamakee Community School District, Iowa - Health is Kee
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PLANTS: Detroit Farms Growing the Whole Child, Michigan
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PLANTS: Local Greens (Growing Resilient Equitable Ecosystem for Nutrition in Schools), Muskegon County, Michigan
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PLANTS: Iowa Farm to School Training Collaborative: Building Resilience and Capacity for the Future of Farm to School in Iowa
To read more about the grant recipients and their projects, visit the FNS School Food System Transformation Challenge webpage. Additional awardees will be announced in the near future from Full Plates Full Potential and the Illinois Public Health Institute's Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub.
How Pantries and Guests Benefit from Community Responsive Food Options
Founded in 2008, the Islamic Food Bank (IFB) is dedicated to filling gaps in the food system and fulfilling its mission of empowering Muslims and the greater community to feed the hungry and spread peace in northwest Ohio. In 2023, IFB distributed $1.86 million worth of food from an almost entirely volunteer-run organization.
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Food pantries must be responsive to the needs of guests from all backgrounds. Guests benefit by finding the items they need, and pantries benefit as well in these five ways:
- Stronger collaborative relationships with partner organizations,
- Increased trust of the community,
- Mutual education regarding foods and their uses,
- Better understanding of other needs of the community beyond food, and
- Improved mental and physical community health.
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Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH Seek Adventurous Teachers to join SnackTime Explorers!
Recently endorsed by The White House, SnackTime Explorers is set to expand to all Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program (FFVP) schools by 2030, starting with eight new districts in the 2024-25 school year.
“The expansion of Pilot Light’s SnackTime Explorers toolkit is a commendable effort that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the health and well-being of children across the country,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). “This initiative exemplifies the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier lifestyles to empower K-12 students with the knowledge and resources they need to make healthy choices." The next step in this expansion plan is the 2024-25 school year, which aims to reach school districts in Arkansas, Michigan, Indiana, Tennessee, and New York. Find the full list of eligible schools and information about how to bring SnackTime Explorers to your FFVP classroom here!
Hunger Task Force Finds Unique Solution to Providing Nutrition for Many in Milwaukee
The program, known locally in Milwaukee as Stockbox, is designed to "address the health problems of an aging person," says Hunger Task Force Executive Director Sherrie Tussler. Stockbox foods are selected for their nutritional value and are largely shelf-stable. All Stockboxes include cereal, milk, canned veggies and fruits, pasta or rice, foods high in protein, fruit juice, and two pounds of fresh Wisconsin cheese.
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Sherrie Tussler retired earlier this month from her role as Chief Executive Officer of Milwaukee's Hunger Task Force. We extend our appreciation for all of the great work that Sherrie did for those in need in Milwaukee for the past several decades. Her passion and dedication touched the lives of countless individuals and families. We wish you the best, Sherrie! |
How Did You Celebrate School Lunch Hero Day?
Do you know a school lunch hero that we should celebrate in our next newsletter? If so, drop us a line fnmwro.pa@usda.gov.
While School Lunch Hero Day is traditionally celebrated in May, we want to shine a spotlight on the great work of school nutrition professionals all year long. In this edition of At the Table, we celebrate the great work of Tracy Braun at Waconia Public Schools in Minnesota. Read below about what Bongards Cheese had to say about Tracy last month.
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There is much to celebrate this year! It’s WIC’s 50th so we’ll be celebrating WIC all year. August brings National Farmers Market Week and National Breastfeeding month.
What will you celebrate this year? If you have something in the works, email us at FNMWRO.PA@usda.gov to let us know. And of course, if there is anything we can do to amplify your communication efforts or support your event, don’t be shy. Ask us for a quote or for us to attend your event or both, and on X (formerly Twitter), please tag @USDANutrition
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