Non-Congregate Meal Service Pilot Summer 2023

This communication was originally sent on April 19, 2023, and is being reissued to include additional guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

On April 20, 2023, the USDA released policy memo SFSP 07-2023,SP 14-2023 Questions and Answers #2: Summer 2023 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas (PDF). This memo provides additional options about the administration and operation of non-congregate meal service in rural areas during Summer. Although the USDA issued further guidance, the CDE’s application process for the non-congregate meal service pilot during summer 2023 has not changed.

On December 29, 2022, the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. The Appropriations Act provides a rural non-congregate meal service option for summer meal programs for summer 2023.

On February 28, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued Policy Memo SFSP 01-2023, SP 05-2023 Implementation Guidance: Summer 2023 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas . This policy memo provides guidance and instructions on how to implement Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) non-congregate meal service during summer 2023.

Non-congregate meal service in the summer meal programs is limited to rural areas in which congregate meal services are not available. Sites participating in non-congregate feeding must still meet all other program requirements, including establishing area eligibility.

The USDA has not yet issued regulations regarding non-congregate feeding. As such, non-congregate feeding for summer 2023 will be treated as a pilot program. The USDA anticipates releasing regulations by December 2023 for implementation in summer 2024.

Criteria for Non-Congregate Meal Service Pilot in Rural Areas:

1. The summer meal site (SSO or SFSP) must be in a rural area.
   
   
2. Non-congregate sites must be located in areas where a congregate meal service option is not available. Non-congregate feeding sites must be located at least one-quarter mile away from any congregate meal site.
   
   
3. The non-congregate summer meal site must be located in an area eligible location.
   
   
4. The summer meal site must meet all other program requirements and agree to a program integrity plan.

How to Determine if Summer Meal Sites Meet Rural Criteria:

1. Enter the summer meal site address into the USDA Rural Designation Tool . If the site address shows as rural on the Rural Designation Tool, then that site may be eligible for non-congregate feeding.
   
   
2. If the site location is not designated as rural in the above USDA Rural Designation Tool, then the USDA may allow for non-congregate feeding sites to operate in rural pockets within a larger area that is designated as urban on the USDA Rural Designation Tool. For sites that are located in rural pockets, the USDA Regional Office requires justification for the designation and must approve the designation of the site as rural.
   
   To support this justification, program operators should use the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer mapping tool.
   
   
3. If the site location is rural on the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer mapping tool, then a justification can be made that the site meets rural criteria.
   
   
4. If the site location is not rural on the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer mapping tool or the USDA Rural Designation Tool, then the site is not located in a rural area and cannot operate a non-congregate feeding model.

How to Apply for Non-Congregate Meal Service Option Pilot in Rural Areas

1. Complete a site application for SSO or SFSP in the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) as usual. The California Department of Education (CDE) requires a record of the site application in the CNIPS database.
   
   
2. Complete the Summer Feeding: Rural Non-Congregate Request for Approval SNAP Survey.
   
   
3. The CDE will review all requests for non-congregate meal service and either approve or deny your request. It is important to note, program operators may not operate non-congregate meal service until your site has been approved by the CDE.
   
   
4. All applications for non-congregate meal service must be submitted to the CDE by May 15, 2023 or 30 days prior to the start of summer meal service (whichever comes first).

Additional Considerations for Non-Congregate Meal Service Pilot in California

1. Program operators may provide all approved meal combinations during a single meal service period, however, bulk meal distribution and meals for multiple days is not allowed.
   
   
2. Non-congregate meal service is available only to eligible children who are present during pickup. Parent/guardians may not pick up meals on behalf of children who are not present.
   
   
3. Home meal delivery is not allowed.

Resources

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) State Agency Approval of Non-congregate Meal Service Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
  
  
• Questions and Answers #2: Summer 2023 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas (PDF)
  
  
• Summer Feeding: Rural Non-Congregate Request for Approval SNAP Survey

Questions

For questions about rural non-congregate meal service through the summer meal programs, contact your respective SFSP or school nutrition program county specialist.