ARLINGTON, VA – As millions of families experience food insecurity amid the federal government shutdown, school nutrition professionals are stepping up to address needs in their communities. School Nutrition Association (SNA) members have reported increases in families applying for free and reduced-price meals and efforts to expand services to ensure students in need receive nutritious meals at school.
“School meals have always served as a lifeline for students and families struggling with furloughs, job loss, economic uncertainty and high food prices,” said SNA President Stephanie Dillard, MS, SNS. “As needy families are hit with a cut in SNAP benefits this month, school nutrition professionals are preparing to serve more hungry children at school, expanding afterschool meals, helping connect families with community services and even giving their time to support evening supper programs for families.”
While students whose families are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are automatically eligible for free school meals, shutdown-related delays and reduced SNAP benefits do not impact children’s eligibility for free school meals.
With federal entitlement status, school meal programs can serve additional free or reduced-price meals as newly eligible families enroll. School nutrition professionals are actively promoting meal benefit applications and reminding families they can re-apply mid-year if they experience a change in income. Meanwhile, schools enrolled in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) and those in the nine states that provide free meals to all students can meet the needs of impacted children without additional paperwork.
USDA distributions of CN funds ensure that school meals served through the month of November will be reimbursed in December.
About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.
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