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As the COVID-19 outbreak continues, operations and guidance is frequently changing. To assist with your questions and to share important information, we are starting weekly webinars that will be held on Tuesday afternoons.
Register Here
We have tentatively set up meetings for the next 3 weeks. Please keep an eye out for future CNS Updates for any changes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released 5 additional nationwide waiver approval letters for states under Section 2202 of H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act related to Child Nutrition. Below are the waivers applicable to School Meal Programs and the Summer Programs. Please review the Community Nutrition communications for CACFP waivers.
- COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #9; Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements in the School Meals Programs
- 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.
- There are no further requirements from sponsors at this time.
- This waiver is effective immediately and will remain in effect until June 30, 2020, or until expiration of the federally declared public health emergency, whichever is earlier.
- COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #12; Nationwide Waiver of 60 Day Reporting Requirements for January and February 2020
- This waiver applies to all Child Nutrition Programs (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP, and the Special Milk Program)
- This waiver extends the 60-day claim deadline for the months of January and February 2020 by an additional 30 calendar days.
- January 2020 claims are due by May 1, 2020.
- Feburary 2020 claims are due by May 30, 2020.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
- Sponsors must notify OSPI and work with CNS claims staff to utilize this waiver.
- This waiver is effective immediately and only applies for January and February 2020 claims.
Please review the 3/26 Update for an overview of the waivers previously released by USDA. These waivers included meal time flexibilities, non-congregate feeding, activity requirement waiver, meal pattern flexibility, the approval of parents to pick up meals for their children, and an extension of the Community Eligibility Provision application deadlines.
USDA’s Food and Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS) granted an eligibility waiver to Washington state. Under a provision in Section 2102 of the recently enacted H.R. 6201, The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, this waiver expands the area or number of service sites for meals. This provision removes the requirements that the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) sites must be located in those areas in which 50% or more participant are eligible for the free or reduced-price meals.
Non-Area Eligible sites are approved on a case-by-case basis. OSPI CNS recommends to work with your local partners to feed children at area eligible sites to the maximum extent practicable.
This waiver remains in effect until June 30, 2020, or until the expiration of the federally declared public health emergency.
It is important that everyone involved with emergency meal service during the COVID-19 school closure has basic food safety training.
The current Washington State Health Department requirements for who needs to have a Food Handler’s Card is as follows:
- Required for all food workers that prepare/come in contact with food
- Staff/volunteers that distribute packaged meals or assemble meals that contain only commercially packaged items do NOT need Food Handler cards.
- Staff/volunteers with no card are approved to prepare food for up to 14 days as long as they receive training by a manager / person in charge.
If your school district or organization is facing any challenges in meeting these requirements, please contact us at summermeals@k12.wa.us.
We have relayed information about the availability of providing up to five days’ worth of meals at one time, with a submission of the Meal Distribution Plan Addendum. We realize that many of you are coming up on spring break next week and may want to provide five days’ worth of meals along with Friday’s meal. This is allowable.
Please direct any questions to your program specialist.
There are many questions regarding submitting your application for SFSP in WINS. OSPI CNS created short videos to assist you through this process.
For a link to the videos, please email Sara Stamos, or reach out to your program specialist.
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