FNS Documents & Resources

Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is part of the U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the exceptional circumstances of this public health emergency, USDA is establishing a nationwide waiver to support access to nutritious meals while minimizing potential exposure to the novel coronavirus. This waiver applies to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.

FNS issued eight child nutrition programs off-site monitoring fact sheets to assist states and sponsors in conducting off-site monitoring of child nutrition programs during the pandemic. These documents include a fact sheet that has background information on all programs, as well as separate facts sheets for state and local operators for each program.

USDA has issued a series of question and answer documents on flexibilities, adjustments and waivers to support effective operations and provide access to benefits while states respond to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to State agencies and Program operators as they continue to operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), NSLP Seamless Summer Option (SSO), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) during the school year.

The federally-declared public health emergency due to COVID-19 created an unprecedented challenge to providing healthful meals to children who normally participate in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Through a series of waivers, NSLP/SBP, and CACFP local program operators were able to continue their mission to provide healthful meals to eligible children using combinations of the flexibilities provided for under NSLP/SBP, CACFP, the NSLP Seamless Summer Option, and the Summer Food Service Program.

Program operators in a state with an approved waiver allowing non-congregate meal distribution during COVID–19-related operations may distribute meals to a parent or guardian to take home to their children for school year 2020-21. FNS recognizes that  continuing to require children to come to the meal site to pick up meals may not be practical and in keeping with the goal of providing meals while also taking appropriate safety measures.

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they operate the NSLP, SBP, NSLP Seamless Summer Option, SFSP, and CACFP in the coming months, during the COVID-19 pandemic.