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DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION OFFER EMERGENCY FOOD AID IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19? CLICK HERE ([link removed][UNIQID])


** USDA NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE
NEWSLETTER
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THE USDA NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE IS OPERATED BY HUNGER FREE AMERICA
September 2020


** Child Nutrition Program Waivers
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Available for the 2020-2021 School Year

The USDA has extended and issued several waivers to accommodate for the different school learning modules.

1. Summer Meals Extended
Summer meal programs can continue operating through December 31st, 2020, as funding allows. If a list of locations do not show up on Meals4Kids ([link removed][UNIQID]) , keep checking the site for updates. Most states have not yet posted the list of sites and we expect those to be posted in the upcoming weeks. Learn more here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

2. Congregate Meal Service Requirement Waived:
Students are no longer required to eat meals on-site, they can now eat these meals outside of group settings or off-site. Learn more here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

3. Meal Service Time Requirement Waived:
Schools are now able to serve meals whenever works best for them, in order to accommodate for social distancing. Learn more here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

4. Parent or Guardian Meal Pick-Up:
Parents or guardians are allowed to pick up meals without their child present. This applies for schools doing distance learning. Learn more here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

5. Offer versus Serve (OVS):
As long as these meals contain the required components, high schools can now served pre-plated, bagged, or boxed meals. Learn more here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

If you are unsure what your state or school district is doing to serve school meals during the pandemic, contact your state agency here ([link removed][UNIQID]) or call the Hunger Hotline at 866-348-6479 (English) or 877-842-6273 (Spanish).
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Help us grow our resource list ([link removed][UNIQID])


** BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY
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Each month, Hunger Free America highlights anti-hunger best practices across the country. This month we will highlight the importance of Massachusetts' Healthy Incentive Program (HIP) initiative.

HIP was created to help SNAP clients buy more fruits and vegetables. SNAP benefits can be used at participating HIP retailers like farmers' markets, farm stands, mobile markets, or community support agriculture (CSAs) to purchase fruits and vegetables. For every dollar spent on eligible fruits and vegetables, SNAP clients receive $1 back on their EBT card (up to a monthly limit).

(Photo from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts' website ([link removed][UNIQID]) )

The program began in 2017, and since its inception, families have earned millions in HIP incentives. In the month of July alone, 13% of HIP households used HIP for the first time! Currently, over 52,000 households in use HIP at one of the 500+ locations in the state.

To learn more about HIP, visit their website ([link removed][UNIQID]) and find authorized HIP retailers here ([link removed][UNIQID]) !

If you would like to nominate an organization for best practice, email [email protected].

WHAT IS THE USDA NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE?
The USDA National Hunger Clearinghouse - currently operated by Hunger Free America - was created to aide low-income individuals and communities. The clearinghouse can be accessed via the hunger hotline, which is free to call. Hotline representatives connect callers to a variety of resources for individuals seeking food assistance, such as: food pantries, soup kitchens, SNAP, summer meals, and more.

WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE HOTLINE?
Monday thru Friday 7 am - 10 pm Eastern Standard Time. Please be advised assistance is available in English or Spanish.

CAN I APPLY FOR OR RE-CERTIFY FOR SNAP BY CALLING THE HOTLINE?
Please be advised we do not have access to individual SNAP account information, we do have the ability to connect callers with their state hotline where they can request specific account information and obtain further instruction on ways to apply for SNAP.

To locate your SNAP State Hotline number text "SNAP" to 977-79
To locate your EBT Customer Service number text "EBT" to 977-79

IF YOU ARE AN EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDER AND WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE DATABASE, CLICK HERE ([link removed][UNIQID])

Anyone can call the hotline for free and speak to a representative in English or in Spanish. To reach an English-speaking representative, call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479). To reach a Spanish-speaking representative, call 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273). The hotline is available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
ANTI HUNGER GRANTS
Hunger Is, an anti-hunger program funded by the Albertsons Companies Foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, has awarded over 4.6 million dollars in grants within the past year to assist organizations seeking to join them in ending childhood hunger. Hunger Free America is proud to be a partner in their initiative to secure free school breakfast meals for all school-aged students. Their work has been instrumental in diminishing hunger nationwide. The grant is available for organizations in the following states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. For information on how to be a part of this upcoming year's round of funding, click here ([link removed][UNIQID]&mc_cid=1a25ae3e56&mc_eid=[UNIQID]) .
The W. K. Kellogg Foundation accepts healthy kids and community/civic engagement grant applications throughout the year with no submission deadline. To apply online, click here ([link removed][UNIQID]&mc_cid=1a25ae3e56&mc_eid=[UNIQID]) .

The Walmart Foundation issues a variety of grants to organizations seeking additional funding, through its giving program. Grant applications for national-level organizations are available year-round, and applications for community impact grants can be submitted until December 31st. For more information on how to apply, click here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .
Copyright © 2018 Hunger Free America, All rights reserved.

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