The Afterschool Meal Program is Already in Effect

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that was signed into law by President Obama this past Monday expands the Afterschool Meal Program (through the Child and Adult Care Food Program) to all 50 states. Under the new law, schools, local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other afterschool program providers can now offer a nutritious meal in addition to or instead of an afterschool snack served to children who participate in an afterschool program that is located in a low-income area. For the area to be considered low-income, 50% of the children in the local elementary, middle or high school must be qualified to receive free or reduced-price school meals.

 

Our friends at the Food Research and Action Center  point out that the law makes it clear that programs already providing meals may be eligible for retroactive funding.Retroactive funding is available for meals served back to October 1, 2010, the beginning of the current federal fiscal year. For meals to qualify for reimbursement there must be adequate documentation; the program has to be in a low-income area and meet other eligibility requirements; and the meals must meet the federal nutrition guidelines. Programs that may be able to receive funding retroactively:

·         Afterschool programs (including schools, parks and recreation agencies or food banks) that received the snack reimbursement, but served a full meal (that meets the nutritional guidelines) may be able to get the additional reimbursement for providing a meal (an additional $1.98 plus $0.2025 in commodities or cash in lieu of commodities for each meal).

·         An entity in a low-income area that is providing a meal after school or at a weekend program through Outside School Hours Care may be able to get the additional funding it would have received if the meals were all reimbursed at the free rate, since the meals were reimbursed initially based on the children’s household income.

·         An entity that is getting the snack reimbursement today could begin serving meals that meet the meal pattern following the same paperwork requirements for snacks, but now get reimbursed for meals.

 

For the past several years 13 states and the District of Columbia have been eligible to provide afterschool meals. Among the benefits to afterschool programs participating in the Afterschool Meal Program are:

·         The Afterschool Meal Program draws children into afterschool programs and provides vital nutrition that keeps children learning and engaged throughout the afternoon.

·         It provides federal dollars to serve nutritious meals that too many children desperately need. The reimbursement for each meal ($2.72 plus an additional $0.2025 in commodities or cash in lieu of commodities) is nearly four times the funding for each snack ($0.74), making the nutrition dollars an even bigger funding support for afterschool programs.

·         The meal for is a crucial support for the 17 million children who live in households that are struggling to put food on the table.

 

To learn how participate in the Afterschool Meal Program or to discuss the possibility of receiving retroactive funding, contact your state agency. Food