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Child Nutrition News

 

New Resource: Strategies for Improving Direct Certification

Most school districts can take additional steps to increase the number of students they certify to receive free school meals without submitting a school meal application. Strong direct certification processes are a win-win for school districts and low-income families, as they:

  • Improve the financial viability of implementing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) by yielding higher reimbursement rates. Current CEP schools can also increase their reimbursement rates by improving direct certification.
  • Reduce administrative work for school districts by decreasing the number of meal applications (and individual household income forms in CEP schools) that you need to collect, process, and verify.
  • Ensure access to free school meals for the most vulnerable students.

There is uncertainty if federal waivers will be in place for the 2022-2023 school year that allow schools to provide free school meals for all students. In anticipation to school meals going back to standard counting and claiming, schools can be proactive by improving their local direct certification practices to ease the transition and potentially extend free meals for all kids through CEP.

Check out Hunger Solutions New York’s new direct certification resource to identify and implement strong direct certification processes in your district here.

 

Register for Thursday's Direct Certification Webinar

Direct Certification: Best Practices Looking Ahead to 2022
Thursday, January 20, 3 p.m.

As schools and districts prepare their nutrition operations for the 2022-2023 school year, now is the time to revisit the importance of direct certification. Strong direct certification helps schools improve the financial viability of community eligibility, reduce administrative work, and ensure access to free school meals to the most vulnerable students. Join the Food Research and Action Center to discuss helpful tips and best practices for improving direct certification.

 

Extend Free School Meals Beyond the Pandemic

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a federal reimbursement option that allows high-poverty schools and districts to provide breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students. Schools that are interested in offering free meals to all students beyond the pandemic should start to assess their ability to leverage CEP for the 2022-2023 school year. 

Interested in learning more? We can help with determining your eligibility, assessing financial viability, creating a plan, applying, and more!

Email Jessica Pino-Goodspeed: Jessica.PinoGoodspeed@HungerSolutionsNY.org.

 

Help Advocate for Child Nutrition Waiver Extensions

With critical child nutrition waivers set to expire on June 30, 2022, the Food Research and Action Center is working with national, state, and local partners to gather and share stories about the impacts of the waivers to make sure lawmakers understand the importance of extending USDA’s waiver authority. Share how the waivers have helped your school or organization reach kids during the pandemic, and why continued flexibilities are needed. Learn more and share your story here.

 

ICYMI: December Resource Round-up

Hunger Solutions New York and No Kid Hungry New York released a newsletter filled with the latest resources. Check out the “Child Nutrition Year-End Resource Round-Up” in case you missed it!

Hunger Solutions New York
14 Computer Drive East | Albany, New York 12205
518-436-8757 | info@hungersolutionsny.org

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