News Item
USDA Announces Feeding Program Partnership in Response to COVID-19
Secretary Perdue today announced a collaboration with the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, McLane Global, PepsiCo and others to deliver nearly 1,000,000 meals to students in a limited number of rural schools closed due to COVID-19.
03/17/2020
Subscriber Updates
USDA Extends Comment Period on Proposed School and Summer Meal Reforms
USDA today announced it is extending the deadline for the public to comment on a pair of proposed rules on school and summer meals reforms. USDA is providing additional time to ensure those who wish to provide input do not miss out on the opportunity while dealing with the impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
03/17/2020
Subscriber Updates
USDA Publishes Proposed Rule - Aims to Streamline SFSP Operations
USDA will publish in the Federal Register a proposed rule, “Streamlining Program Requirements and Improving Integrity in the Summer Food Service Program,” providing flexibilities that will allow local SFSP operators to spend more time serving children wholesome meals and less time mired in red tape.
01/17/2020
Blog
Innovation and Collaboration Bring Summer Meals to Children in Rural Texas
Children’s nutritional needs do not take a summer break. This summer, FNS partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture and Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative to help keep Texas children in several low-income rural areas fed during the summer through a summer meals demonstration project.
08/15/2019
News Item
USDA Highlights Success of Rural Summer Meals Delivery Project in Texas
Children’s nutritional needs do not take a summer break. This summer, FNS partnered with the Texas Department of Agriculture and Baylor University’s Texas Hunger Initiative to help keep Texas children in several low-income rural areas fed during the summer through a summer meals demonstration project.
08/13/2019
Blog
FNS Fills the Summer Meal Gap in Rural Areas
Most kids look forward to the end of school and the start of summer vacation, but for some it can also mean the loss of the regular meals they rely on during the school year. USDA’s summer meal programs, including the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option, are there to help families ensure children have access to nutritious meals and snacks that help them learn and grow during the summer months.
06/21/2019
News Item
USDA Highlights Importance of Keeping Kids Fed During Summer Months
Children’s need for good nutrition does not end when school lets out for the summer. The USDA is reminding the public about its commitment to help families keep children in low-income areas fed throughout the summer, so they can return to school ready to learn and succeed in the fall.
06/18/2019
Blog
Just Announced ‘Turnip the Beet’ Awards Recognize High-Quality Summer Meals
As school years draw to a close and summer breaks begin, USDA is pleased to announce the third annual Turnip the Beet awardees. These awards recognize outstanding summer meal program sponsors who distinguished themselves with high quality meals that are appetizing, appealing, and wholesome.
06/18/2019
Blog
Across Country, USDA Kicks Off Summer Meals
The school year is out and summer meals are in! Around the country, places like schools, recreation centers, parks, churches, and libraries are serving free, nutritious summer meals to kids up to 18 years old through USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). SFSP was designed to help low-income students during the summer months who aren’t receiving free or reduced-price school meals to continue to have access to meals and snacks.
05/26/2019
News Item
USDA Expands Focus on Program Integrity Across All Nutrition Programs
As part of Agriculture Secretary Perdue’s strategic goal of ensuring that our programs are delivered efficiently, effectively and with integrity, FNS announced an enhanced focus on program integrity today, that will include renewed attention on transparency, payment accuracy, fraud and waste prevention, and improved quality control.
03/29/2018
News Item
USDA Seeks Public Input on Child Nutrition Food Crediting
USDA today announced a public invitation to submit ideas on food crediting, the system that defines how each food item fits into a meal for the National School Lunch Program and other federal child nutrition programs.
12/14/2017
News Item
USDA Helps Schools Feed Kids in Hurricane-Hit Georgia, Florida
Students in Georgia schools affected by Hurricane Irma will be provided free meals through the end of September, USDA announced today, along with additional flexibilities in federal child nutrition programs in Georgia and Florida aimed at making it easy for children to be fed.
09/19/2017
News Item
USDA Assists Florida Children Affected by Irma
USDA announced today it is making it easier for Florida schools affected by Hurricane Irma to feed students during this time of great need. The measures will potentially impact over 1,800 schools and 1.4 million children.
09/16/2017
News Item
USDA Announces Summer EBT Grants; Includes New States, Rural Communities
USDA today announced the award of $31.5 million in Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Grants to explore ways to alleviate hunger among low-income children during the summer, including new projects in Texas and Tennessee. Rigorous evaluations of continuing projects have found that Summer EBT can significantly reduce very low food security among children, the most severe form of food insecurity, by one-third.
06/28/2017
News Item
Report Shows Monthly Summer EBT Benefit Reduces Food Insecurity in Children, Improves Nutrition
Results of USDA's report posted today on the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children demonstration project confirm a significant reduction in food insecurity among participating families. The project tested two benefit levels – $30 and $60 per month per child – both of which were found to reduce the most severe form of food insecurity and led to positive nutritional outcomes.
05/11/2016
News Item
USDA Announces Awardees of Summer EBT Grants, Extends Benefits to Flint, Michigan and Other High-Need Areas
Under Secretary Kevin Concannon today announced $26.9 million in grant funds to be distributed among eight grantees to continue administering pilots of the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer programs, providing summertime nutrition assistance to children who receive free and reduced price meals during the school year. In addition to funding existing pilots for summer 2016, these grants will extend benefits to new rural areas, Tribal Nations, and areas of extreme need including Flint, Michigan.
04/08/2016
News Item
FACT SHEET: Obama Administration Announces Major Investments in Preventing Child Hunger
Today, the White House will host a conversation about child hunger in America, with experts and direct service providers discussing how hunger continues to harm children across the country. Participants will discuss the role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other core nutrition programs in ensuring American children have the fuel they need to thrive.
01/27/2016
Page updated: February 09, 2021
