News Flash

For Immediate Release

10/14/2020                        

Phone: 980-432-1800
Website: www.rowancountync.gov/covid-19
Email: covid-19@rowancountync.gov

Rowan County Case Information: https://bit.ly/rowan-covid19-hub

U.S. Department of Agriculture Extends Free School Meals for the Remainder of the School Year

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture announced this past Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending flexibilities to allow free meals to continue to be available to all children throughout the entire 2020-2021 school year. This unprecedented move is part of USDA’s unwavering commitment to ensuring all children across America have access to nutritious food as the nation recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As our nation recovers and reopens, we want to ensure that children continue to receive the nutritious breakfasts and lunches they count on during the school year wherever they are, and however they are learning,” said Secretary Perdue. “are grateful for the heroic efforts by our school food service professionals who are consistently We serving healthy meals to kids during these trying times, and we know they need maximum flexibility right now. I appreciate President Trump for his unwavering commitment to ensure kids receive the food they need during this pandemic and for supporting USDA in continuing to provide these unprecedented flexibilities.”  

 “These waiver extensions are great news for America’s students and the school nutrition professionals working so hard to support them throughout this pandemic," said School Nutrition Association President Reggie Ross, SNS. “Families struggling to make ends meet can be assured that their students will have access to healthy school meals, whether they are learning at home or in school. School meal programs can remain focused on safely meeting nutritional needs of children in their communities without having to worry about burdensome regulations. The School Nutrition Association appreciates USDA’s ongoing efforts to address the many challenges our members have faced while working on the frontlines to feed hungry children.” 

USDA had previously extended child nutrition waivers through December. These new flexibilities will allow schools and other local program operators to continue to leverage the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option  to provide no cost meals to all children, available at over 90,000 sites across the country, through June 30, 2021.   

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Contact:
TJ Brown
704-216-8918
tj.brown@rowancountync.gov

Download Media Release COVID-19 - October 14, 2020 (PDF)