Responding to a human pandemic will likely
require communities to try and keep people from gathering in groups to
help slow the spread of the infection, including keeping children home
from school and childcare. All FNS nutrition programs normally use some
face-to-face contact in order to provide food benefits, but child
nutrition programs are completely dependent on providing meals to groups
of children in schools and childcare.
FNS has authority to operate school and
childcare meals programs only when children are in attendance so
providing food to vulnerable children that receive free and reduced
price meals requires alternative strategies. A human pandemic is likely
to receive a Presidential disaster declaration, which provides FNS with
the authority needed to approve State requests for a Disaster
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP). This will be FNS’ primary nutrition assistance response
to a human pandemic because it provides:
greater authority for a flexible response to a pandemic.
food that can be consumed at home rather than in congregate
settings.
maximum benefits for low income families with children to help
compensate for the loss of free and reduced price school and child
care meals.
extra or extended benefits to current participants that can be
electronically added to the food stamp benefit card without face-to
face contact.
rapid food assistance to newly eligible families experiencing
financial hardships as a result of the pandemic.
In special circumstances if
retailers are not operational,
FNS could also consider approval
of a limited disaster household
commodity distribution program;
however, traditional disaster
congregate feeding will not be a
viable solution due to social
distancing measures.
Flexibilities already exist in
some of the nutrition assistance
programs that could support
social distancing measures
during a human pandemic such as
mailing or electronic
transmission of benefits. Find
out more about specific program
flexibilities:
