Summer Meal Programs - Seamless Summer Option (SSO) - Contacts and Program Participation - Oct 2020 - Sep 2021

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<b>About the Dataset</b><br>
This dataset contains <b> contact and program participation information for all sites approved by TDA to operate the Seamless Summer Options (SSO) between October 2020 and September 2021. </b>Traditional summer meal programs operate mid-May through the end of August.<p>

In March 2020, USDA began allowing flexibility in nutrition assistance program policies in order to support continued meal access should the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) impact meal service operation. This included operation of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) by School Nutrition Program sponsors during the school year. <p> 

Beginning October 2020, School Nutrition Program sponsors were given the option to use SFSP or SSO to provide school meals until the end of the sponsor's 2020-2021 school year. Traditional summer meal program service  resumed at the end of the school year through September 2021 or until the start of the 2021-2022 school year, whichever was sooner.  <p>  

For more information on the waivers implemented for this purpose, please visit our website at <a href=http://www.SquareMeals.org target=""_blank"">SquareMeals.org</a>. <p>

For data on sites participating in SFSP, please refer to the Summer Meal Programs – Summer Food Service Program – Contacts and Program Participation datasets available on the State of Texas Open Data Portal. 
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An overview of <b>all Summer Meal Program data available</b> on the Texas Open Data Portal can be found at our <b><u><a href=https://data.texas.gov/stories/s/52en-tt82 target=""_blank"">TDA Data Overview - Summer Meals Programs</a></b> </u>page.<p>

An overview of <b>all TDA Food and Nutrition data available</b> on the Texas Open Data Portal can be found at our <b><u><a href=https://data.texas.gov/stories/s/TDA-Data-Overview-Food-and-Nutrition-Programs-Open/nk79-w2cs/ target=""_blank"">TDA Data Overview - Food and Nutrition Open Data</a></b></u> page. <p>

<b>About Dataset Updates</b><br>

TDA aims to post new program year data by July 15 of the active program period. <b>Participants have 60 days to file monthly claims.</b> Dataset updates will occur monthly until 90 days after the close of the program period. After 90 days from the close of the program period, the dataset will be updated at six months and one year from the close of program period before becoming archived. Archived datasets will remain published but will not be updated. Any data posted during the active program year is subject to change.<p>

<b>About the Agency</b><br>
The Texas Department of Agriculture administers 12 U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition programs in Texas including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP), and summer meal programs. TDA’s Food and Nutrition division provides technical assistance and training resources to partners operating the programs and oversees the USDA reimbursements they receive to cover part of the cost associated with serving food in their facilities. By working to ensure these partners serve nutritious meals and snacks, the division adheres to its mission — <i>Feeding the Hungry and Promoting Healthy Lifestyles.</i><p>

<i><b>For more information on these programs, please visit our <a href=http://www.SquareMeals.org target=""_blank"">website</a>.</b></i><br>

Tags: contact, covid, food, free-summer-meals, meals, nutrition, pandemic, sso, summer, summer-meal-sponsor, tda, texas-department-of-agriculture
Organization: City of Austin