Tuesday Morning - October 20, 2020 An Update on Federal and State Policy Issuesfrom SNA Table of Contents COVID-19 Policy Updates SNA Survey Reveals School Meal Programs’ Mounting Losses Federal Policy Team Nutrition Publishes New Resource for Serving Multiple School Meals State Snapshots New Jersey Introduces Bill to Create School Meal Fund Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinar Upcoming FRAC Webinar Mystery Chat Corner COVID-19 Policy Updates SNA Survey Reveals School Meal Programs’ Mounting Losses On October 15, 2020, SNA published "Impact of COVID-19 on School Nutrition Programs - Back to School 2020," the results of a survey of school nutrition directors in 1,614 school districts nationwide. The report highlights the severe financial toll that school meal programs have incurred as they adapt to safely meet the nutritional needs of students during the pandemic. SNA's survey found that 54% of responding school districts reported a financial loss in School Year (SY) 2019/20 and a harrowing 62% anticipate a loss this school year, with an additional 28% of respondents unsure of what to expect. Among the 844 school districts that reported their SY 2019/20 losses, the median loss was $150,000. However, districts with an enrollment of 25,000+ saw a median net loss of $2.3 million. Total combined losses exceeded $483.5 million. Read SNA’s full press release. Back to the top Since March, volunteers and school nutrition staff at Altus Public Schools in rural Oklahoma have served more than 130,000 meals to 3,500 students in their community. Federal Policy Team Nutrition Publishes New Resource for Serving Multiple School Meals On October 16, 2020, the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) Team Nutrition published "School Meals Programs: Providing Multiple Meals at a Time During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic." This new publication provides operators of school meal programs such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Seamless Summer Option (SSO), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) with technical assistance on the amounts of foods needed for multiple-day distribution. It also includes best practices and sample menus for school meals program operators who wish to distribute multiple meals at one time. Back to the top State Snapshots New Jersey Introduces Bill to Create School Meal Fund A 1632 requires school districts to establish a “School Meal Fund” to assist students with school meal bill in arrears. Back to the top Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinar Join us November 5th for the next webinar in SNA’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Series and learn about creating a more inclusive environment. If you missed a particular webinar, catch up with SNA’s on-demand webinars. How to Become a More Inclusive Team Member Thursday, November 5, 2020, 3:00 pm ET Everyone wants to work on a team where they feel welcome, respected, and valued. Join us for a webinar designed to do just that—and created especially for the heart of every K-12 foodservice team—school nutrition employees and frontline staff. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) expert, Dr. Nika White, will provide guidance to help you create a more inclusive environment. She’ll also unlock the secrets to great teamwork and share how you can take small steps that will make a BIG difference every day! Back to the top Upcoming FRAC Webinar In light of virtual school day models and reduced capacity for in-person afterschool programs, many schools and out-of-school time partners are innovating and tweaking operations in order to continue providing enrichment and nutrition, regardless of the physical setting. This Thursday, October 22, 2020, 3:00 pm ET, join the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) for the webinar "Adding Afterschool Meals to Your Operations." Learn how to leverage existing afterschool nutrition waivers and flexibilities to expand the reach of afterschool suppers and snacks, as well as tips and tricks for planning for the rest of the school year. Back to the top Mystery Chat Corner On October 20, 1864, which U.S. President formally established Thanksgiving as a national holiday? A: Abraham Lincoln Back to the top