NJ School Breakfast Enews

May 2016

Sign up for summer feeding!

The Summer Meal Food Service Program ensures that children who rely on school meals during the school year don’t go hungry during the summer. If you don’t have a summer meals program or would like to expand your existing program, contact the NJ Department of Agriculture at (609) 292-4498. The department provides support and technical assistance in getting the programs up and running. For more information, click here.

Free food for summer!

Summer meals sponsors and sites that want to improve meal quality by incorporating fresh, nutritious and local ingredients into their meals can take advantage of a new online tool that connects them with wholesome, excess free food.

MEANS (Matching Excess and Need) notifies summer meals sponsors of free food in their area. Grocery stores, restaurants, catering services, food banks and food pantries all have wholesome, free food available at any given time. Join this May 4 webinar to learn more about MEANS and how you can use this great tool to improve your meals and help reduce wasted food.

Nutrition Education and Other Enrichment Activities for Summer Meal Programs

Webinar - Thursday, May 5 at 1 p.m.

Offering engaging and enriching activities at your summer meal program is an easy way to draw children to sites and help maintain participation all summer long. There are endless possibilities for low-cost summer activities – as well as potential partners and resources that could make your program more successful. Learn about the USDA’s recently released Team Nutrition kit and other ways to incorporate fun, nutrition and other activities into your summer meals program. For more information, click here.

Looking Ahead: Kick Off the School Year Right by Maximizing the Reach of your School Meals Program

Webinar, Wednesday, May 25 at 2 p.m.
Learn about effective strategies and updated tools that can increase the reach of your school breakfast, lunch and afterschool meals programs. The webinar will cover the USDA’s revised Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals redesigned to make it easier for families to provide accurate information. Next, you’ll hear highlights about the community eligibility provision – an amazing option for high-poverty schools to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students and claim more federal dollars. Finally, round out your strategy by implementing tips and tricks to launch a successful afterschool meals program.
Click here to learn more.

Money for Meals
2016 USDA NSLP Equipment Assistance Grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service is offering Equipment Assistance Grants. Schools can use these funds to purchase equipment to serve healthier meals, with an emphasis on more fruits and vegetables, improve food safety and expand access. High-need schools receive top priority. For more information, click here.

Fuel Up to Play 60: School Nutrition Equipment Grants

Deadline: June 30, 2016
Schools and school districts can apply for School Nutrition Equipment Grants of up to $5,000 for the 2016-17 school year. The funds can be used to purchase equipment to support school breakfast and lunch programs. Schools may apply individually or districts may apply for multiple schools within their district. Follow this link to more information.

Fuel Up to Play 60: Breakfast Anytime, Anywhere Grant Opportunity

Deadline: June 2016

Funding is available to K–12 schools enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60. Sponsored by the National Dairy Council, state and regional Dairy Councils and other supporting organizations, the grant provides up to $4,000 per year, per school, to help implement one Healthy Eating Play (including Breakfast Anytime, Anywhere) and one Physical Activity Play from the 2015–2016 edition of the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook. Follow this link to more information.