Public Notification - Summer Food Service Program Waiver Requests

Published on Thursday, May 14, 2020

The Rhode Island Department of Education plans on submitting a waiver request for relief from certain regulatory requirements of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), regarding:

• Unanticipated School Closures – This waiver would allow eligible sites to serve meals under the SFSP in the event of unanticipated school closures related to COVID-19 in the 2020-2021 school year.
• Non-congregate Feeding – This waiver would allow eligible sites to serve meals under the SFSP in a non-congregate setting in the event of unanticipated school closures related to COVID-19 in the 2020-2021 school year.
• Parent Pick-up – This waiver would allow eligible SFSP Sponsors to allow parents to pick-up meals on behalf of eligible children in the event of unanticipated school closures related to COVID-19 in the 2020-2021 school year.
•  Area Eligibility – This waiver would allow sites to serve meals under the SFSP, even if they do not meet traditional area eligibility requirements, in the event of an unanticipated school closure related to COVID-19 in the 2020-2021 school year.

If granted, these waivers will serve to help communities provide on-going food access for children and youth despite the COVID-19 health crisis.



For more information on the program, call the Rhode Island Department of Education, Office of Statewide Efficiencies, Child Nutrition Programs at (401) 222-4253 or (401) 222-4698.