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THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234

Office of P-20 Education Policy
Child Nutrition Program Administration
89 Washington Avenue, Room 375 EBA, Albany, NY 12234
Phone: (518) 473-8781 Fax: (518) 473-0018
To: 
School Food Authorities and Summer Food Service Program Sponsors
From: 
Child Nutrition Program Administration
Date: 
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Subject: 
Resources for Providing Meals during COVID-19 School Closures

The New York State Education Department encourages School Food Authorities and Summer Food Service Program Sponsors currently operating the Seamless Summer Option of the National School Lunch Program or the Summer Food Service Program, to utilize available resources, such as the those listed below, to support children’s access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus (COVID–19).

COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Funding Grant

GENYOUth is providing grants of up to $3,000 per school to supply resources for meal distribution and delivery efforts. From soft-sided coolers, bags and containers for individual servings, to protective gear for food service sanitation and safety, this equipment will help ensure children continue to receive the nutritious meals they need. More information and the grant application can be found here.

Emergency Meals-To-You Program

The United States Department of Agriculture and Baylor University have collaborated to provide the Emergency Meals-To-You (eMTY) Program for Rural Schools. This program provides crucial nutrition to eligible children who may otherwise be unable to access federal nutrition programs while schools are closed due to COVID-19. For more information, visit Baylor University’s website. Questions and answers regarding the program are available here. 

School District applications for emergency Meals-to-You will be accepted until 1 pm EST  (12 noneCST) on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

Voices for Healthy Kids COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant Opportunity

Voices for Healthy Kids, an initiative of the American Heart Association, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is providing the  Voices for Healthy Kids COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant Opportunity, for awards up to $50,000  to support COVID-19 response and relief efforts. Preference for these grants will be given to community-based organizations with demonstrated experiences working to build power in communities most impacted by health inequities including Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian and Alaskan Native, or children living in families with low-income. 

 

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

  1. mail:
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
  2. fax:
    (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email:
    Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Click here for Nondiscrimination Statement translations.

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