Tuesday Morning - September 15, 2020 An Update on Federal and State Policy Issuesfrom SNA Table of Contents COVID-19 Policy Updates New GENYOUth Application for Families to Find Feeding Sites for School Meals During COVID-19 Federal Policy USDA Authorized Labels and Manufacturers FNS Releases Research and Evaluation Plan for 2020 State Snapshots Vermont Introduces Bill that Appropriates Funds for Farm to School Program Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinars Mystery Chat Corner COVID-19 Policy Updates New GENYOUth Application for Families to Find Feeding Sites for School Meals During COVID-19 The Nonprofit GENYOUth has announced the release of its new application SAP4Kids Resource Locator Map. This application was designed to help families locate feeding sites for school meals while schools are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Locator Map features automatic notifications, service hours, and up-to-date information on locations. Users can also enter their information here. Back to the top School nutrition staff at Round Rock (Texas) Independent School District prepare to-go meals for families during a curbside meal distribution at Bluebonnet Elementary School. Federal Policy USDA Authorized Labels and Manufacturers On September 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a list of manufacturers that have met the Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) quality control program requirements for the CN Labeling Program. These lists are updated and re-posted monthly; however, the product name on the food carton with the CN label may not necessarily match the product description from the list. It is the manufacturer's responsibility to ensure that the product label meets all federal labeling requirements. FNS’s website provides a complete list of labels and resources for CN credentials. Back to the top FNS Releases Research and Evaluation Plan for 2020 On September 10, 2020, the USDA FNS released its "Food and Nutrition Service Research and Evaluation Plan Fiscal Year 2020." Each year, FNS conducts various studies, evaluations and related activities that respond to policymakers' and managers' needs and help ensure that nutrition assistance programs achieve their goals effectively. These plans provide short descriptions of projects that have been or will be funded in each fiscal year. Read the full plan. Back to the top State Snapshots Vermont Introduces Bill that Appropriates Funds for Farm to School Program H 696 appropriates $100,000 to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets for the Farm to School Program to support the costs of equipment and supplies for school nutrition programs, including equipment for processing, packaging, storing and serving meals safely. Back to the top Mark Your Calendars Upcoming SNA Webinars Register for this week’s Back to School Webinar and hear practical advice on how to help students cope with the current COVID-19 pandemic. If you missed a particular webinar, catch up with SNA’s on-demand webinars. Taking Care of Yourself and Your Students: Coping with Pandemic Crisis & Loss Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 3:00 PM ET As part of SNA’s “Back to School Webinar Series,” this webinar will provide practical advice on how school nutrition professionals can help students cope with the current COVID-19 pandemic and support grieving students, as well as some guidance related to professional self-care. There will be time available for questions and discussion. This webinar is presented by the Director of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement located at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Growing as an Intentional Inclusionist® Thursday, October 1, 2020, 3:00 PM ET Join us for the first webinar in SNA’s new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Series. Viewing diversity and inclusion as a leadership function is vital for teams. During this training, Dr. Nika White will empower and equip participants to build their inclusion leadership competencies. Our first installment in this series is designed specifically for leaders of teams. These may include school nutrition directors, managers, state agency, and industry professionals. Back to the top Mystery Chat Corner On September 15, 1997, which famous search engine officially registered its domain name? A: Google Back to the top