Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT)
P-EBT provides nutrition benefits to families who have lost access to free or reduced-price school meals because schools are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible students and families will receive money on a new or existing EBT card to help fill the school meals gap. The benefit will be $5.70/day per student, retroactive to when school initially closed (for Montana the benefit through the end of the 2019-2020 school year will be $330/child). Families can get both P-EBT and “grab and go” meals from schools and community organizations that schools are serving during the pandemic.
All children ages 5 to 18 who were eligible for free or reduced-price school meals as of March 18, 2020 qualify for this benefit. This benefit will be issued through the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS). The P-EBT card works like a debit card to purchase food items anywhere EBT benefits are accepted. DPHHS will notify families of this benefit. Families receiving SNAP will get the P-EBT benefit added to their existing EBT card. Non-SNAP families will be mailed an EBT card with the P-EBT benefit.
The OPI is working with the DPHHS to provide needed data for Non-SNAP families electronically as much as possible. Some districts that have missing data have been contacted by School Nutrition Programs. For those who have been notified to submit data to the DPHHS, please use the following spreadsheet and instructions.
P-EBT Data
P-EBT Information and Instructions
Based on current available guidance from the USDA, schools will operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) in Fall 2020. The nation-wide USDA Waiver to Extend Unanticipated School Closures expired on June 30, 2020. This waiver allowed schools to operate the Summer Food Service program while schools were closed due to COVID-19. The FAQs provide updated guidance on meal service when returning to school in the fall.
Due to the public health emergency, the USDA is providing meal program flexibilities for School Year 2020-2021 to support student access to nutritious meals while minimizing the potential exposure to COVID-19. To participate in any of the following waivers, please complete the School Nutrition Back to School Flexibilities Survey.
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application for 2020-21 School Year
Watch for a New Online Free and Reduced-Price School Meal Application
School Nutrition Programs will have an online free and reduced-price school meal application available soon. We are testing it now and hope to have it ready later this month.
OPI and Team Nutrition Professional Standards Survey – We want to hear from you!
Please complete this optional Professional Standards Survey to help guide the training, including fall workshops and webinars, offered by the OPI School Nutrition Programs and Team Nutrition for School Year 2020-21.
2020-21 School Year Applications are Open through August 31
Thank you to those who have submitted applications! If you have not yet submitted your 2020-21 school year application, please login to MAPS to make your updates.
Schools electing to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision must submit an application by August 31.
Look for instructions for completing the application, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program application (for schools that are invited to participate only), and Financial Report (for private non-profit sponsors only) in Download Forms in MAPS.
|
Serving School Meals to Preschoolers
As students go back to school and districts implement a variety of physically distanced mealtimes, pre-K students may be eating in their classrooms and therefore no longer co-mingled with K-5 students. Schools unused to using the pre-K (CACFP) meal pattern may find the Team Nutrition Publication on PreK meals: Serving School Meals to Preschoolers [fns.usda.gov] helpful.
Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool Update Release
On July 10, FNS released updates to the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool as part of the ongoing operations, maintenance, and enhancements of the project. The update includes the addition of reward badges to motivate school nutrition professionals and make the process of completing annual training requirements fun.
New Feature Alert: Show what you know by earning reward badges!
Users of the tool can earn a badge for each key area (Nutrition, Operations, Administration, and Communication and Marketing) by completing one or more trainings under a specific key area. Users can also earn achievement badges (Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) by completing trainings in more than one key area. Once annual training requirements are met, users can print their certificate, which will also display the badges they have earned.
Earn a key area badge:
- Complete two trainings in any of the key areas (Nutrition, Operations, Administration, and Communication and Marketing) and earn a badge for that specific key area.
Earn an achievement badge:
- Earn a badge in one out of the four key areas and receive a Bronze badge!
- Earn badges in two out of the four key areas and receive a Silver badge!
- Earn badges in three out of the four key areas and receive a Gold badge!
- Earn badges in all four key areas and receive a Platinum badge!
Visit https://pstrainingtracker.fns.usda.gov [pstrainingtracker.fns.usda.gov] to start tracking your training hours today!
School Nutrition Weekly CHAT
Participate in the School Nutrition CHAT every Thursday at 1:00-2:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86193144475?pwd=ZmtKbkU3Z2VGSDdyTjZJSEVNa05xQT09 [us02web.zoom.us]
Meeting ID: 861 9314 4475
Password: 9YrSxW
If connecting via telephone, dial
+1 669 900 6833 US or
+1 253 215 8782 US
Meeting ID: 861 9314 4475
Password: 700221
Child Nutrition Resource Survey - Optional
As school environments continue to evolve due to COVID-19, we know that your operations, challenges, and needs are evolving as well. Dairy MAX, your local dairy council, would like to collect information from school nutrition partners on your Fall 2020 operational and support needs. To provide your input, please fill out their short 2020-2021 Child Nutrition Survey [dairymanagement.qualtrics.com].
Your valuable feedback will help Dairy MAX as we work to support you and your child nutrition colleagues. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Dairy MAX School Wellness Consultant, Melissa Brunk (brunkm@dairymax.org).
Cartewheel Menu Planner
OPI and Colyar Technology Solutions have partnered to offer you Cartewheel Menu Planner! Cartewheel simplifies the process of creating healthy, delicious menus, and communicating them to your site staff.
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, TTY 406-444-0235.
|
