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Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the extension of several nationwide waivers. Washington State will participate in the waivers below:
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #84 - Child Nutrition Update for School Year 2021-2022
- This memo announces a new suite of Child Nutrition Program Nationwide waivers and flexibilities to support a successful school reopening in school year 2021-2022.
- These flexibilities will increase funding, support access, and balance operational needs with the goal of providing nutritious meals across all Child Nutrition Programs.
- While many waivers provide flexibilities for an extended timeframe, USDA expects schools and child care providers to only use the flexibilities for the duration and extent that they are needed.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #85 – Nationwide Waiver to Allow the Seamless Summer Option through School Year 2021-2022
- This waiver allows all school food authorities to operate the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option (SSO) when school is open during the regular school year.
- This waiver allows school food authorities to operate SSO at any school, regardless of its location or the type of site it is operating.
- This waiver is effective July 1, 2021, and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #86 – Nationwide Waiver to Allow Summer Food Service Program Reimbursement Rates in School Year 2021-2022
- This waiver allows meals and snacks served under the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) to be reimbursed at the applicable Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates, rather than at the NSLP or SBP reimbursement rates.
- Reimbursement rates can be found on the Claims, Fiscal Information, and Resources webpage.
- This waiver is effective July 1, 2021, and remains in effect until June 30, 2022.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #87 – Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-Congregate Meal Service for School Year 2021-2022
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- This waiver allows meals to be served in a non-congregate meal setting.
- Flexibilities of this waiver may be implemented from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, or until congregation in in-school settings is safe and healthy, whichever is sooner.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #88 – Nationwide Waiver of Meal Times Requirements for School Year 2021-2022
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- This waives the established meal time parameters, the required minimum time between meal services, and allows sponsors to serve more than one meal at a time.
- Flexibilities of this waiver may be implemented from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, or until congregation in in-school settings is safe and healthy, whichever is sooner.
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COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #89 – Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children for School Year 2021-2022
- This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- This waiver allows parents and guardians to pick up meals for their children.
- Program operators must maintain program integrity and ensure duplicate meals are not distributed.
- Flexibilities of this waiver may be implemented from July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022, or until congregation in in-school settings is safe and healthy, whichever is sooner.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
Have you noticed milk has been in short supply?
There has been a significant delay in milk deliveries, missed deliveries, and canceled orders in Washington State as a new warehouse is set up for distribution.
Milk shortages seem to be impacting fat-free and 1% milk varieties.
Note: Under SFSP, whole, 2%, 1%, fat-free, buttermilk, lactose-reduced, and acidophilus are all creditable.
What Do You Need To Do?
If you are unable to receive an adequate quantity of creditable milk for meal services, please contact your Program Specialist to request a Meal Pattern Waiver.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
Promoting Summer Meal Sites to the Community in Washington State
This summer, OSPI will be promoting SFSP meal sites through No Kid Hungry and the USDA Summer Meals4Kids Site Finder.
Information About Uploads
- OSPI reports meal times and locations of all OPEN sites
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If your meal distribution has changed and you no longer operate open sites, make sure to update this in WINS prior to April 28!
- Keep the Site Applications and Site Calendars up to date
- Summer Meal sites will be posted starting in May
- Data will be collected from WINS on April 28 to submit to USDA.
- USDA will post Summer Meals Sites beginning on May 6, 2021.
- Updates are sent weekly to USDA
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
 OSPI Child Nutrition created short trainings to assist sponsors in training site staff on various SFSP related topics. You can use these modules during annual training for staff or as a quick training for new employees or volunteers prior to their first shift
You can review these trainings on the SFSP Training Moodle, under the SFSP Short Trainings for Site Staff tile!
Short Trainings
- Training is focused on staff roles as they pertains to SFSP
- Guidance is provided for “traditional” summer operations and do not provide guidance on current waivers and flexibilities
- These short trainings vary in length, but most are roughly 5 minutes
Apply for the Summer Meals for Kids Grant (Form Package 412) by Monday, April 26, at 4 pm PT.
The Washington state legislature has provided $250,000 for the Summer Meals For Kids grant.
These grants are available to all sponsors operating a summer program. If you do not have an EDS or iGrants account, you must create one.
Some examples of previously awarded grants:
- Convection Ovens
- Portable Insulated Coolers
- Folding Tables
- Pop-up Shade Canopy
- Sandwich board signs
- Milk Coolers
- Vehicle for transporting meals
Please review our 3/22 Update for more ideas on how you can use these funds, grant ideas, and how to get an EDS account.
Questions? Please email Mikhail Cherniske.
Required Annual Training - Register Now!
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New SFSP Sponsor Training for Summer 2021 – For organizations and administrators that did not operate SFSP in summer 2020 AND did not operate SFSP during SY 20–21.
- This training occurred on April 22 and was recorded.
- We are working on closed captioning this training and will post it to the SFSP Annual Training Moodle course.
- A CNS Update will be released when this training becomes available.
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Returning SFSP Sponsors Updates for Summer 2021
- For organizations that operated SFSP in Summer 2020 but did not operate SFSP during SY 20–21
- If you are currently operating the SFSP, you do not need to attend this session. Please ensure to register for the May 5 Bi-Weekly Webinar.
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Register Here
Date: Tuesday, May 4
Time: 9–10 am PT
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Sponsors Continuing SFSP Operation through Summer 2021 Updates – For organizations that operated SFSP in SY 20–21.
Register Here for our regular Bi-Weekly Webinar
Date: Wednesday, May 5
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Complete Your Summer 2021 Application
Application Materials Include:
Additional application materials can be found on the SFSP Program Materials/Forms webpage.
Questions? Contact your Program Specialist or email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
Join us for the How to Participate in Farm to Summer and Celebrate Farm to Summer Week Lunch n’ Learn!
Farm to Summer can increase SFSP participation and keeps money in your local community when local products are purchased for SFSP. Plus it's fun! Join us to learn more.
Register Here
Date: Thursday, May 13
Time: 1:30–2pm PT
During this webinar we will discuss:
- Farm to Summer!
- What it is
- How it can benefit your program
- How to participate in Farm to Summer Week (July 12–16, 2021)
During these webinars OSPI CNS will discuss hot topics, highlight important reminders, and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions.
Register Here
Dates: Every other Wednesday through 6/30/2021
Time: 2–3 pm PT
Program operators offering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/ School Breakfast Program (SBP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the 20-21 school year are encouraged to join us for these webinars.
Reminders
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Follow up emails will no longer be sent after the meeting. If you missed our last webinar, you can review the recording from our 4/21 meeting here.
- Save us on your calendar! When you register, there is an option to add us to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is sent 1 hour before the session starts.
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 May 7th is Child Nutrition Hero Day. This day is normally one where we recognize the hardworking individuals whose contributions help nourish children across our state.
You've Gone the Extra Mile
This year, we want to recognize the innovative and empathetic response that child nutrition professionals gave during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a part of Public Service Recognition Week, Child Nutrition providers across Washington State, as well as OSPI’s Child Nutrition team, are being recognized for their work in feeding children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Inslee has chosen this group of people for the Extra Mile award, to honor the public servants who went above and beyond to feed children this year.
A Well-Deserved Award
When Governor Inslee announced statewide school closures, the OSPI Child Nutrition Services (CNS) team took immediate steps to work with program operators to plan to serve meals in their respective communities.
Your heroic efforts resulted in over 20 million meals that were served to kids in the first six months of the pandemic. School staff, child care employees, and community organizations collaborated as the need for meals rose across the state. Meals were distributed not only from school buildings, but also community parks, bus stops, and in some cases, delivered directly to homes by food service staff.
Program operators continually revised their operations to meet the needs of families while continuing to provide safe meals that maintained program integrity. CNS staff acted as liaisons between program operators and the USDA to advocate for the changing dynamics communities were facing and advocated for waivers and flexibilities to allow programs to better serve children.
Thank You
OSPI would like to thank the child nutrition heroes who persisted against many challenges during the pandemic. You have been the rock in every community you serve and we celebrate your heroism during this past year. Congratulations!
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April 26
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Summer Meals For Kids Grant Application is Due!
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April 29
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February Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim!
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May 4
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Returning SFSP Sponsors Updates for Summer 2021-
Register Here
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May 5
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Sponsors Continuing SFSP Operation through Summer 2021 Updates - Register Here
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May 10
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Anticipated date of Annual Trainings to be uploaded into the SFSP Annual Training Moodle course.
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May 15
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April Claims due in WINS
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