School Nutrition Update

School Nutrition Update

In an average day, schools in Alaska serve approximately 48,000 lunches. When school buildings closed to students in March, school nutrition professionals across Alaska transitioned their programs from the cafeteria to meals available by pickup, meals delivered at bus stop routes, and even home delivery. School Nutrition professionals worked tirelessly to submit waivers to the USDA, and find creative ways to ensure Alaskan children received nutritious meals.

The school year has since come to an end, but that doesn’t mean that your School Nutrition team is taking a break! Check out the summer options available, and news regarding the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

Are you looking for meals while schools are closed?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched a new online tool – the “Meals for Kids” Site Finder – to help families find meals for children while schools are closed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Parents and caregivers can also text the word “FOOD” to 877-877 to see all nearby meal options. The service is also available in Spanish by texting the word “COMIDA” to 877-877.

For students in the Bering Strait and Lower Kuskokwim School Districts, there is a new pilot program delivering summer meals directly to homes. Through a partnership with Food Bank of Alaska, the new program Meals to You has already sent around 18,000 meals to eligible households in the Bering Strait School District. Several other districts (Lake and Peninsula Borough, Northwest Arctic, Bristol Bay, Southwest Region, and Unalaska City School Districts) participated in Meals to You during the unanticipated school closures. Initially the program was scheduled to end in May, but they extended the program through August 15.

The USDA approved Alaska to operate Pandemic EBT, a supplemental food purchasing benefit to current SNAP participants and as a new EBT benefit to other eligible households to offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school.

Do you need Emergency School Nutrition funding?

Principals, School Nutrition Managers, School Nutrition Directors and District Superintendents! GENYOUth is providing grants of up to $3,000 per school to supply much-needed resources for meal distribution and delivery efforts to get food to students during COVID-19. From soft-sided coolers, bags and containers for individual servings, to protective gear for food service sanitation and safety, this equipment will help ensure our children continue to receive the nutritious meals they need.

What happens in the fall when school starts?

Yesterday the USDA announced a range of nationwide flexibilities to ensure kids receive meals in the upcoming school year. These waivers give states, schools, and childcare providers time to plan for how they will serve children in the fall, including allowing for new and innovative feeding options as the nation recovers from the coronavirus.

Have additional questions about school nutrition? Contact Jo Dawson at jo.dawson@alaska.gov or (907) 465-8708.