P-EBT has been extended for the 2020-21 school year for eligible students, including: students that are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals, or attend a school site that operates the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) or Provision 2 and their school is closed or has reduced attendance for five consecutive days. This also applies to sponsors currently operating the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). For more additional information see the P-EBT Benefits for Students during the SY2020-21 FAQ.
P-EBT is a supplemental program to assist families with their home grocery bill. It is important for sponsors to communicate to families that accessing school meals while also receiving P-EBT benefits is allowable and encouraged. By doing so, families are helping support their school meal program as well as their local grocery community.
2021 SFSP reimbursement rates have been released and are effective beginning Jan. 1. Claims from January onward will be paid using the higher reimbursement rates.
Join the first On the Menu call of 2021 on Thursday, Jan. 28, from 2 to 3 p.m. Register here; if already registered, use the same link to join the call.
January’s call includes a basic review of special diets as well as highlights best practices for accommodating special diets while operating under a modified service model, such as offering grab-and-go meals. In addition, this call will also spotlight the amazing work sponsors are doing to provide nutritious and free meals to students across Colorado. Please share successes and best practices in serving meals during the pandemic by sending photographs that capture the incredible work that you and your team are doing to Alicia Grove at grove_a@cde.state.co.us.
For questions or training accommodations (i.e. speaker notes), contact Alicia Grove at grove_a@cde.state.co.us or 720-795-2038.
Tune into School Nutrition Association's (SNA) webinar on USDA Foods
Join SNA on Wednesday, Jan. 27, and learn how to make the most of USDA Foods. This webinar is free for SNA members and $20 for non-members. If you have any questions specific to commodity foods, please reach out to Deborah Cameron deboraha.cameron@state.co.us or 720-413-3592 with the Colorado Department of Human Services.
The Blueprint to End Hunger is accepting applications for the eighth round of funding for the Colorado COVID-19 Emergency Hunger Relief Fund. Funding may be used to cover operating funds, including food, staff, packaging, safety supplies, food storage and transportation equipment, client communications, etc. Applications close Friday, Jan. 15 at 5 p.m.
Produce Safety University’s Virtual Edition is a comprehensive three-day virtual training course for USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) state agency and local school district partners. Colorado’s 2020 nominees are attending PSU this year. Congratulations to the nominees:
Angie Pacheco, lead chef at Adams County 14
Kristina Flaten, administrative dietitian District 49
Sarah Blaida, nutrition services operations manager at Adams 12 Five Star Schools
