Latest News for the Summer Meal Programs

Summer 2024 Non-Congregate Feeding - Start Preparing Now!

Published: 259 days ago
" In Summer 2024, SFSP and SSO operators with sites located in rural-designated areas will have the opportunity to apply to offer non-congregate meals to students. Per regulation, the application will require all operators, even those who operated last year, to submit an application and provide procedures, depending on the flexibilities required.
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In Summer 2024, SFSP and SSO operators with sites located in rural-designated areas will have the opportunity to apply to offer non-congregate meals to students. All operators must be in good standing and have one year of prior Program experience (which includes operating a School Nutrition Program). All eligible sites must be outside of a 2-mile radius from the next nearest summer site.

Per regulation, all operators, even those who operated non-congregate last year, must submit a request to operate non-congregate service in 2024 and provide procedures at that time, depending on the flexibilities required.

The following flexibilities will be available in 2024:
  • Multi-day bundling, bulk food component distribution, and parent pick-up - Procedures are required at time of application that ensure that duplicate meals will not be served. If distributing more than 5 days of meals at one time and/or distributing food components in bulk, sample menus, food safety procedures, and meal preparation instructions will also be required.
  • Home Delivery (5-day max distribution) - Procedures required for how to obtain parental consent and how household information will be protected.
  • Hybrid Congregate/Non-Congregate Sites - Only allowed if the services and intended days of meal consumption do not overlap (for example, daily congregate service cannot occur if a week of meals is also being bundled for the community)

Operators who think they may be eligible should be strategically thinking about potential non-congregate site locations and start developing required procedures that will safeguard program integrity.

More information will be coming in March, including FAQs, an updated request form, and an updated site eligibility map. Please monitor SquareMeals  for all updates and information about upcoming webinars.

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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:

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
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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