Latest News for the Summer Meal Programs

New Waiver Allowing Non-Congregate Summer Feeding in Extreme Heat

Published: 1 years 126 days ago
" TDA has received a waiver allowing for non-congregate service at SFSP or SSO outdoor sites experiencing extreme heat. Sites with no alternative, temperature-controlled locations at which to provide congregate summer service must request a waiver for each day the waiver is used, and TDA will verify that a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Warning, or Excessive Heat Watch was issued for the area.
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TDA has received a waiver allowing for non-congregate service at SFSP or SSO sites that meet the following criteria when experiencing dangerous levels of heat:
Sites are outdoors and exposed to the weather.
There are no alternative, temperature-controlled sites at which to provide congregate summer service.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Heat Advisory, Excessive Heat Warning, or Excessive Heat Watch for the area. CEs requesting this waiver must maintain proof of NWS alerts within their documentation, and TDA will verify that a notice was issued prior to approving a waiver.

CEs must submit a single form for each day that non-congregate service occurs. While the CE does not have to wait for approval to serve non-congregate meals, if TDA discovers that any of the above criteria have not been met, meals served on those days will be disallowed.

Note that meals served under this waiver must be grab-and-go in nature and served directly to children. Parent/Guardian pickup without a child present is not allowable under this waiver. Additionally, only a single day’s meals may be bundled at a time. Multi-day bundling is not allowed.

The request form can be accessed at https://form.jotform.com/231936076644159 - and on the Summer Meal Programs Administration/Forms table located here: https://squaremeals.org/Programs/Summer-Meal-Programs/Administration-Forms. Please contact SNPWaivers@texasagriculture.gov with any issues submitting the form.

Note that approval to use this waiver is not contingent on whether or not the CE indicated in its application the intent to participate in the heat demonstration project for Summer 2023.

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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
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