PARTNER WITH THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE Tough Times Require New Solutions June 2011

Food and Nutrition Service The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The agency was established in1969, but many of the food programs originated long before FNS existed as a separate agency. FNS works in partnership with the States in all its programs. States determine most administrative details, and FNS provides funding to cover food benefits and most of the States’ administrative costs. Programs Child and Adult Care Food Program Commodity Supplemental Food Program Farmers Market Nutrition Program Food Assistance for Disaster Relief Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program National School Lunch Program Nutrition Assistance Block Grants School Breakfast Program Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Special Milk Program Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Summer Food Service Program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program The Emergency Food Assistance Program Programs Child and Adult Care Food Program Commodity Supplemental Food Program Farmers Market Nutrition Program Food Assistance for Disaster Relief Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program National School Lunch Program Nutrition Assistance Block Grants School Breakfast Program Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program Special Milk Program Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Summer Food Service Program Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program The Emergency Food Assistance Program For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Partnerships are key to carrying out the Food and Nutrition Service Mission For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Working Together to Serve Our Customers FNS State Agencies Program Operators The Ultimate Customers— Program Participants For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

We Are Seeking Partners To:  Operate our programs locally  Share information through your network  Train volunteers to assist clients with benefit applications  Work with FNS regional offices & State Agencies to leverage Federal funding for Outreach  Convene community leaders to draft & implement plans to End Childhood Hunger  Collaborate at national events & conferences For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE  Membership in the FNS Outreach Coalition  Content to develop messages for distribution through your network & media contacts  Technical assistance & promising practices information  FNS staff can attend & participate at your meetings & conferences  Training on how to conduct & evaluate effective outreach activities, cross-promote programs, & educate the public  Free outreach materials  Free informational webinars for your team, staff, & partners The Benefits of Partnership:

Current Outreach Partners For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Many Potentially Eligible People Do Not Participate Program Eligibility Eligibility for most FNS programs is determined by household income. These incomes must be at or below 130% or 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. Federal Fiscal Year 2011 (Oct. 1, 2010 – Sept. 30, 2011) Program Eligibility Eligibility for most FNS programs is determined by household income. These incomes must be at or below 130% or 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. Federal Fiscal Year 2011 (Oct. 1, 2010 – Sept. 30, 2011) Millions of people across the country are potentially eligible for one or more FNS program. However, myths exist that often keep these families & individuals from applying for benefits.  Myth: Only unemployed people can get nutrition assistance. Fact: Many people use food help to make ends meet.  Myth: Other people need the help more than seniors. Fact: All who apply & qualify for assistance will get benefits.  Myth: Receiving assistance hurts your chances of becoming a U.S. citizen. Fact: Getting food help will not hurt the chance of becoming a U.S. citizen for documented immigrants.  Myth: People who are disabled can’t get food help if they receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), disability-related Medicaid, or other insurance benefits. Fact: The disabled can get nutrition assistance, even if they receive other services. 185% of Federal Poverty Level Household SizeAnnual Income 1$20,147 2$27,214 3$34,281 4$41, % of Federal Poverty Level Household SizeAnnual Income 1$14,157 2$19,123 3$24,089 4$29,055 For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Ending Childhood Hunger For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE Helpful Resources Visit the ECH website at: to learn how you can End Childhood Hunger! There you will find helpful resources like: Stakeholders’ Guide to Ending Childhood Hunger, a guide that presents nearly 50 ideas to reduce hunger. Become a Champion to End Hunger, a commitment campaign that enables the public to share ideas to reduce hunger. Ending Hunger Volunteerism Portal, a custom portal to foster volunteerism in support of reducing hunger. Hunger in America FNS programs serve 1 in 4 Americans Nearly half of those served by SNAP each month—21 million--are children Over 21 million kids receive free or reduced priced lunch at school every day Half of all babies in this country are born onto the WIC program

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) SNAP is the new name for the Food Stamp Program. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE SNAP helps low-income families & individuals supplement their food budget by providing an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card which is used like a debit card to purchase food at authorized retail stores. SNAP helps low-income families & individuals supplement their food budget by providing an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card which is used like a debit card to purchase food at authorized retail stores. Local SNAP offices can provide information about eligibility, and USDA operates a toll-free number ( ) for people to receive information about SNAP. Local SNAP offices can provide information about eligibility, and USDA operates a toll-free number ( ) for people to receive information about SNAP.

Outreach Nutrition Education If your organization works with families or individuals that may be eligible for SNAP benefits, consider partnering with FNS & distributing free program materials. Nutrition Education materials targeted for SNAP recipients of all ages are available online. SNAP Resources For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Children whose families are enrolled in some Federal assistance programs or who are residents of emergency shelters are automatically eligible for free meals. Adults enrolled in day care & who receive SNAP benefits, or Medicaid benefits are automatically eligible for free meals. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) CACFP reimburses providers for nutritious meals & snacks served to eligible children & adults who attend daycare and at-risk programs. CACFP Providers can Include: o Family or Group Homes o Child Care Centers o Outside School Hours Care Centers o Adult Day Care Centers o “At-Risk” Afterschool Programs o Emergency Shelters CACFP Providers can Include: o Family or Group Homes o Child Care Centers o Outside School Hours Care Centers o Adult Day Care Centers o “At-Risk” Afterschool Programs o Emergency Shelters Your organization may be able to serve as a sponsor to CACFP sites and help FNS to improve access to nutrition assistance.

School Meals National School Lunch Program (NSLP) School Breakfast Program (SBP) National School Lunch Program Breakfasts and lunches are designed to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Visit the “Expanding Your School Breakfast Program” website at: for resources to increase participation in school breakfast. Meals are available at free and reduced price for children who need them. Those families that receive SNAP benefits are automatically eligible for free school meals. USDA provides cash and commodity assistance for each eligible meal served. Snacks are also available to children in afterschool care programs in schools. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE Your organization can support school meal programs by handing out free and reduced price meal applications to parents and explaining why it is important to return the completed form.

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Any child, age 18 or younger, may receive a free, nutritious meal at an open site. SFSP provides nutritious meals to youth & teens during the summer & other extended school breaks at feeding sites in areas of economic need. SFSP draws children to supervised activities that are safe, fun, healthy & educational. Download the Summer Food Service Program Toolkit & other helpful resources at: For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE Summer feeding sites can be sponsored by: o Schools o Camps o Private nonprofit organizations o Faith-Based Organizations o Local governments USDA has reduced the paperwork for the National School Lunch Program for schools that want to provide food to children during the summer. This simplified option is called Seamless Summer. Your organization can help by: o Finding meals for children o Becoming a sponsor o Opening a feeding site o Volunteering at a site o Sharing promising practices

WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) Provides WIC participants with coupons to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, & herbs from farmers, at farmers markets, or roadside stands that have been approved by the state agency. Provides low-income seniors with coupons that can be used to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, & honey from farmers at authorized farmers markets or roadside stands, or with shares in Community Supported Agriculture programs. Farmers Market Nutrition Programs For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE Many farmers markets also accept SNAP benefits.

Food Assistance for Disaster Relief (FADR) FNS provides food assistance to those in need in areas affected by a disaster. This Federal assistance is in addition to that provided by State & Local governments. FNS provides food assistance to those in need in areas affected by a disaster. This federal assistance is in addition to that provided by state and local governments. FNS provides disaster food assistance in three ways:  Provides USDA foods to State Agencies for distribution to shelters & other mass feeding sites;  Provides USDA foods to State Agencies for distribution directly to households in need on a limited basis; and  Authorizes State Agencies to issue Disaster SNAP benefits. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE For disaster assistance resources & information on FNS disaster response visit:

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) TEFAP provides emergency food & nutrition assistance to low-income Americans, including the elderly & homeless.  TEFAP ships food to individual States & provides administrative funds to store and distribute the food.  The amount of USDA Foods received depends on the population of unemployed persons & persons with incomes below the poverty level.  States distribute USDA Foods to local agencies directly serving the public such as food banks, shelters & soup kitchens. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE If your agency operates a food bank, distributes food packages or serves congregate meals to low- income populations, you may be eligible to receive USDA Foods from your State. If your agency operates a food bank, distributes food packages or serves congregate meals to low- income populations, you may be eligible to receive USDA Foods from your State.

Other Programs Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)  Provides food and administrative funds to States to improve the diets of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women; their infants and children up to 6 years of age; and persons 60 years of age and older. Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)  Provides monthly food packages to low-income households living on or near Indian reservations. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)  Provides elementary school children in the neediest schools with a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. Special Milk Program (SMP)  Provides milk to children in schools, childcare institutions and eligible camps that do not participate in other federal child nutrition meal service programs. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)  Provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and health and social services referrals to low- income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women; and infants and children up to the age of 5 years. For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE

Food and Nutrition Service General Resources All FNS informational brochures, handbooks, toolkits & outreach materials are available for order or download FREE of charge For more about FNS programs and resources, visit For information about local food assistance organizations contact the National Hunger Hotline at HUNGRY or HAMBRE FREE materials include: MyPlate Food Guide Menu Planners Team Nutrition materials for schools & educators Eat Smart. Play Hard. My Foodapedia

Thank you for your interest in USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs For additional information visit: OR USDA Food and Nutrition Service Office of Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships and Outreach looks forward to partnering with you to increase access to nutrition assistance programs.