Nationwide Child Nutrition Waivers
For each of the more than 100 nationwide waivers and waiver extensions issued to date, this summary provides the waiver number, the title, programs to which it applies, its release date, the end date, a brief summary of what the waiver does, and additional notes and caveats. It also includes the Q&A memoranda issued by the USDA to provide clarification and additional guidance around the nationwide waivers and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This summary was last updated on 7/21/2021. It includes the waivers available for School Year 2021-2022 to support schools and CACFP operators. It also includes the earlier guidance for state agencies on reimbursing meals served to young adults through age 24 at CACFP emergency shelters; the waiver allowing SFSP sponsors that operated in FY 2019 to apply this summer as experienced sponsors; the extension of deadlines relating to Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) reporting and election for SY2021-2022; and the extension of eight key summer meals program waivers through summer 2021 operations.
COVID-19 Relief Bills
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, H.R 1319, was enacted into law. Congress passed this $1.9 billion COVID-19 relief legislation to address ongoing economic hardship and food insecurity. This is the 6th relief package since the beginning of the pandemic. This resource is a summary of provisions that are critical to No Kid Hungry's policy and advocacy priorities.
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Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) was first authorized in March 2020 to help families make up for the value of meals their children missed while schools were closed due to COVID-19. P-EBT has since been expanded to include children under the age of six who are not yet in school and extended through the COVID-19 public health emergency, including summers. These resources are based on USDA guidance for implementing P-EBT during School Year 2020-2021 and Summer 2021.
Some of the program options changed at the end of the 19-20 school year, but many waivers remained in place. The original FAQ on serving meals during coronavirus-related school and child care closures was overhauled and turned in to a separate resource on serving meals during summer 2020. The original FAQ is still posted here for reference along with the summer 2020 FAQ.
The summer 2020 FAQ answers questions on general program requirements and flexibilities, who is eligible to receive meals, what types or organizations can be a summer meals program sponsor or site, monitoring and visit requirements, menus and meal options, the waiver request process, and the relationship between child nutrition programs and Pandemic EBT.
For guidance related to the 20-21 school year, see the Meal Service Strategies page.
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FAQs on SNAP Emergency Allotments and Other Flexibilities
This resource provides information about the SNAP flexibilities authorized during COVID, with a particular focus on the Emergency Allotments. It has been updated to reflect the new USDA guidance extending SNAP Emergency Allotments to the lowest income families who were already receiving at or near the maximum available SNAP benefit. It also reflects a recent change impacting Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents.
