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Latest News for the Food Distribution Program
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Published: 55 days ago
" In accordance with 7 CFR Part 16.4(c)(1), TDA has published the new Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights on both the TEFAP and CSFP Administration/Forms pages of SquareMeals. References to this new form have been added to the CSFP Participant Application and both programs' Participant Rights and Responsibilities forms.
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The Final Rule titled Partnerships With Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations, published March 4, 2024, updated written notice and referral requirements for organizations that receive USDA Foods or administrative funding as part of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
In accordance with 7 CFR Part 16.4(c)(1), all organizations administering CSFP and TEFAP must provide a written notice to all beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries of certain protections in a manner and form prescribed by Policy Memorandum FD-155, which can be found here. In accordance with this rule, TDA has published the new Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights on both the TEFAP and CSFP Administration/Forms pages of SquareMeals. This notice must be provided at all TEFAP and CSFP sites and to all participants in those Programs via one or more of the following methods:
For CSFP:
• Provide CSFP applicants with the Written Notice at the time of application
• Incorporate the required notification language from the Written Notice into existing CSFP applications or other materials that are provided to beneficiaries before the receipt of services.
• To notify beneficiaries already enrolled in the program, a written notice must be provided directly to all beneficiaries at food distribution locations or alongside a food package delivery. Existing beneficiaries should all be notified as soon as possible.
For TEFAP:
• Post the Written Notice at service locations. The posted written notice must be visible to all TEFAP beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries upon entrance into the distribution site
• Provide flyers or handouts at each distribution; and/or
• Add the required Written Notice to their TEFAP intake form.
References to the written notice have also been added to updated versions of the following forms:
• H1516 CSFP Participant Rights and Responsibilities
• H1504 CSFP Participant Application and Application Instructions
• CSFP Written Notification Checklist
• TEFAP Participant Rights and Responsibilities
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Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.
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In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
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1. Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
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| This institution is an equal opportunity provider. |
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