6.20.2013 Many Summer Food providers in California will now have an easier time transitioning to serve afterschool meals during the school year thanks to CFPA’s advocacy and USDA’s recent policy update. USDA has released a policy memo detailing the many different flexibilities available to Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors transitioning to the At-Risk Afterschool Meal component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This will more easily allow Summer Food providers to serve meals during the school year to students in their communities.
The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division will now be able to offer a simplified application and agreement to SFSP sponsors in good standing. Additionally, SFSP sponsors transitioning to the At-Risk Afterschool Meal component of CACFP will find streamlined training, monitoring, and fiscal management requirements. While the option in CACFP to serve afterschool meals came as a result of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, CFPA identified several barriers that SFSP sponsors faced when applying for the program. As a result, CFPA encouraged USDA to offer streamlining options to SFSP sponsors in good standing to ensure that more students have access to healthy meals in afterschool settings.
USDA Policy Memo PDF
Streamlining At-risk Afterschool Meals for Schools link
More information about Afterschool Nutrition here
