Community Meals Fund

To provide community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups with funding to partner with small and mid-sized restaurants to expand meal access and delivery for low-income and vulnerable populations during a pandemic or public health emergency. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Community Meals Fund 2. Definitions (1) Vulnerable population The term vulnerable population (2) Grab-and-go meal The term grab-and-go meals (3) Target population The term target population (A) earns an income below 200 percent of the Federal poverty line; (B) suffers from food insecurity; (C) is homeless; (D) receives (or recently received) assistance under a State program funded under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. et seq.), relating to temporary assistance to needy families; or (E) is eligible for benefits under any nutrition assistance or anti-poverty program. (4) Community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group The term community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group section 501(c)(3) (5) Secretary The term Secretary (6) Low-income individual The term low-income individual 42 U.S.C. 9902(2) (7) Homeless The term homeless (8) Crisis housing The term crisis housing (9) Means-tested benefit The term means-tested benefit (10) Dependent The term dependent section 152 (11) Disaster declaration The term disaster declaration 42 U.S.C. 5121 (12) Temporary community need The term temporary community need (13) Pandemic The term pandemic 3. Community meals fund (a) Application To be eligible to receive a grant to address temporary community needs under this section, a community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group shall submit to the Secretary an application that contains a description of how the applicant proposes to use the grant funds to implement the components of the temporary grant program listed in subsection (b). The application shall be submitted in such form, at such time, and containing such other information as the Secretary may require. (b) Community meals grant program components An application for a grant under this section shall contain an assurance that the applicant will expand the capacity of community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups and schools to meet the needs of children, families, and vulnerable populations in a pandemic by— (1) contracting with small and mid-sized business restaurants or small and mid-sized food contractors that are small business concerns as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 632 (A) preparing, cooking, and storing grab-and-go meals; (B) serving meals to vulnerable populations or make them available for pick up, or distributed in high poverty areas designated by State and local agencies; (C) bolstering food security for children, dependents, families, and the elderly in rural and hard to reach communities; (D) bolstering food security for dependents, target populations, and families in crisis housing; and (E) improving the nutrition of vulnerable populations. (c) Criteria In evaluating an application of a community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group to receive a grant, the Secretary shall consider criteria as the Secretary determines appropriate. (d) Grant administration (1) Amount A grant awarded under this section may not exceed $500,000. (2) Renewals (A) In general The Secretary may renew a grant awarded under this section with respect to an eligible entity if the entity— (i) submits to the Secretary an application for renewal at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require; and (ii) demonstrates in such application that— (I) grant, contract, or cooperative agreement funds made available to the entity were used in a manner required under the most recently approved application of the entity under this section; and (II) the entity has made progress in achieving the objectives of the initial application approved for the entity under this section. (B) Duration A grant shall be eligible for renewal so long as a disaster declaration is active on the date of the renewal application. (e) Supplement, not supplant, requirement A grant, contract, or cooperative agreement made under this Act shall be expended to supplement, and not supplant, the expenditures of the eligible entity involved and the value of in-kind contributions. 4. Authorization of appropriations (a) In general There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 during the 1-year period beginning on May 1, 2020. (b) Availability Funds authorized to be appropriated under subsection (a) shall remain available until expended. 5. Rule of construction Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit a community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger group from receiving a grant under this Act for any vulnerable population otherwise served by such group with other Federal funds. 6. Reports to Congress (a) Grantee report to Congress Not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal year for which a grantee receives a grant under this Act, such grantee shall submit to the Secretary a report that contains an evaluation of the results of the activities, including financial expenditures, made during such fiscal year to carry out the program for which such grant is received. (b) Annual reports to congress Not later than January 1 following the end of fiscal year for which funds are appropriated to carry out this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the progress of the programs carried out with grants made for such fiscal year.

Summary: Community Meals Fund This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture to award grants to community-based nonprofit feeding and anti-hunger groups to partner with small and mid-sized restaurants or food contractors to expand meal access and food security to meet the needs of children, families, and vulnerable populations during a pandemic such as COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Grants awarded may not exceed $500,000.