Summer Non-Congregate Feeding Program

Coming Soon!

Minimize
Details for Serving Non-Congregate Meals in 2024
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued interim guidance on which TDA structured the 2023 non-congregate meal service in rural areas via the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO). USDA is required to finalize the guidance by end of December 2023. If necessary, TDA will update its program guidance in January 2024.

Some districts are mandated by state law to provide summer meals or receive a waiver. Districts that are planning to request a waiver for summer 2024 should evaluate the summer rural non-congregate meal service as an option. 

Click here to access a recording of the Nov. 9 webinar.

Background

Minimize
On December 29, 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 was signed into law and included significant policy changes for Child Nutrition programming, including the authorization of a permanent, non-congregate meal service through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Seamless Summer Option (SSO) for rural areas with no congregate meal service. Federal regulation changes will be finalized at the end of 2024.
 
In summer 2023, TDA used the discretion provided to States in the Appropriations Act and subsequent guidance from USDA to create a Non-Congregate Feeding Pilot Program in rural areas where no congregate service existed. This pilot program allowed a limited number of contracting entities to provide non-congregate service in summer 2023, which will in turn allow TDA to gather data on non-congregate feeding that USDA will use to develop new regulation. The infrastructure and lessons learned from this pilot will give TDA the knowledge to implement a permanent program in Summer 2024 and beyond.
 

Note that the requirements for implementing non-congregate meal service in Summer 2023 are subject to change in Summer 2024 and beyond once the new regulatory requirements are published.

2024 Eligibility and Implementation

Minimize
USDA Rural Designation Tool

The tool below indicates areas USDA currently defines as rural. This map may be updated in the future to include additional eligible areas upon USDA approval.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/rural-designation

2023 Recap - Eligibility and Implementation

Minimize
RESOURCES

TDA used the discretion provided to States in the Appropriations Act and subsequent guidance from USDA to create a Non-Congregate Feeding Pilot Program for Summer 2023 in rural areas where no congregate service existed. Contracting Entities used the resources at right to determine eligibility and get answers to questions about the pilot program.



Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help.

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/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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.
SquareMeals.org Logo


Facebook Icon Instagram Icon
Twitter Icon YouTube Icon