Abstract
The USDA summer food programs provide meals for children when school is not in session. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for food distribution programs, many regulations have been waived, providing opportunities for new approaches to meal distribution. The aim of this study was to identify practices designed to increase program participation during the summer of 2021. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with food service directors (N = 16) in a northeastern state. Questions addressed meal distribution methods; perceptions about facilitators and barriers to family participation; communication strategies used to reach families; and engagement with community partners. The responses were analyzed using an immersion-crystallization approach and four themes emerged: new opportunities for innovation due to the waivers; the importance of collaboration with community partners to increase reach; ongoing logistical challenges due to the pandemic; and the challenge and importance of reducing the stigma of participation. These findings underscore how the USDA waivers increased food service directors’ ability to flexibly and creatively solve problems related to summer meal delivery. The FSDs believed that several of the waivers helped them increase participation in the summer meal program, suggesting that permanent changes to the summer meal regulations may be appropriate.
Highlights
13 million children in the United States live in a food-insecure household [1]
Food service directors (FSDs) from these districts were required to submit a proposal to the Connecticut State Department of Education explaining how a summer meal program would benefit children in their communities, those from low-income households or those who were economically impacted by COVID-19
Participating FSDs reported that the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) pandemic waivers allowed for flexibility and creativity
Summary
13 million children in the United States live in a food-insecure household [1]. Program) to provide nutritious meals for their children. These households lose access to school meals and their rates of food insecurity increase [2]. The purpose of the USDA’s summer meal programs is to fill in this gap. There are two federally funded summer meal program options: the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the National. School Lunch Program, which allows school food authorities in districts with free/reduced rates of 50% or higher to continue serving meals during the summer, and the Summer Food. Lunch Program (NSLP) and can be sponsored by schools or other organizations that serve youth [3]. The summer meal program reaches significantly fewer children than the meals served during the school year. In 2019, approximately 22 million children relied on the National
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