News Item
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New School Meal Standards to Strengthen Child Nutrition
Secretary Tom Vilsack announced major steps to promote the health of America’s children through school meals. Nutrition standards for school meals will be gradually updated to include less sugar and flexibility with menu planning between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027. The Department arrived at these changes after listening closely to public feedback and considering the latest science-based recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
04/24/2024
News Item
Puerto Rico lanza este año un nuevo programa del USDA para ayudar a alimentar a los niños escolares durante el verano
Para abordar aún más la inseguridad alimentaria en Puerto Rico y proporcionar recursos más equitativos a lugares remotos, el Servicio de Alimentos y Nutrición (FNS) del USDA proporcionará un mayor beneficio a las familias de Puerto Rico, en comparación con el territorio continental de los EE.UU., a través del nuevo y permanente programa de nutrición de verano para niños - conocido como Transferencia Electrónica de Beneficios de Verano (EBT de verano).
01/29/2024
News Item
Hawaii Launching New USDA Program This Year to Help Nourish School Children During Summer
To further address food insecurity in Hawaii and provide more equitable resources for island communities, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service will provide a higher benefit to Hawaii families, as compared to the U.S. mainland, through the new, permanent summer nutrition program for children – known as Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer.
01/29/2024
News Item
States and Tribes Partner with USDA to Kick Off New Summer EBT Program
FNS has started receiving official notices from states and tribal nations that intend to operate the new, permanent summer nutrition assistance program for children, known as Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer — one of many strategies the department is leveraging to tackle child hunger when schools are closed.
01/03/2024
Subscriber Updates
Applications Now Open for States to Streamline Access to Free, Reduced Price School Meals
Did you know there’s a way for children in Medicaid households to be automatically eligible for free and reduced price school meals without their families completing another application? It’s called the Direct Certification with Medicaid Demonstration Project and USDA recently opened applications for more states to participate.
11/29/2023
News Item
USDA Expands Access to School Breakfast and Lunch for More Students
USDA today announced that it is giving an estimated 3,000 more school districts in high-need areas the option to serve breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost, by expanding the availability of the Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP.
09/26/2023
Blog
Critical Need to Increase Food Security in Rural Alaska
A key part of our work to end hunger, improve nutrition, increase physical activity, and reduce diet-related diseases is focusing on historically under-served areas, like rural and Tribal communities. Alaska, for instance, faces unique challenges.
09/20/2023
Subscriber Updates
Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule
FNS published a final rule on program integrity to ensure that child nutrition programs are properly operated and managed to protect federal funds and taxpayer dollars.
08/23/2023
Blog
School Breakfast: A Jump Start to a Great Day
School breakfast programs are critical in building a healthier future for America’s children. But currently, only half of the children who eat school lunch also get their breakfast at school.
04/25/2023
Page updated: February 09, 2021