Arizona Department of Education (ADE) continues to send questions regularly to USDA in an effort to clarify programmatic guidance related to COVID-19 not yet released in formal memorandums.
ADE has received confirmation that per the guidance found in SP 25-2020, CACFP 14-2020, SFSP 14-2020,
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)/Seamless Summer Option (SSO) operators may serve meals on weekends and holidays. Therefore, Program operators (School Food Authorities (SFAs) and Community Organizations) approved to operate the SFSP/SSO are eligible to claim SFSP/SSO meals served during upcoming Fall/Winter school breaks, as well as the Thanksgiving holiday, through December 31st, 2020.
Please note, although the guidance does allow Program operators to serve meals on weekends and holidays, it does not obligate them to serve on these days. Program operators may choose not to provide meals on these non-instructional days.
ADE would also like to clarify that SFAs operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are not eligible to serve and claim meals on non-instructional days (i.e. weekends and holidays). However, SFAs who are approved to operate At-Risk Afterschool Meals may choose to do so (up to one meal and one snack) on non-instructional days. SFAs that are not yet operating At-Risk and want to be able to provide meals (alongside a virtual enrichment activity) on non-instructional days, may contact their School Nutrition Programs Specialist.
