Special Nutrition

What is the National School Lunch Program?

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in over 100,000 public and non‐profit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provided nutritionally balanced, low‐cost or free lunches to more than 31 million children each school day in 2012. In 1998, Congress expanded the National School Lunch Program to include reimbursement for snacks served to children in afterschool educational and enrichment programs to include children through 18 years of age.

The Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the Federal level. At the State level, the National School Lunch Program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with school food authorities.

How does the National School Lunch Program Work?

Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or nonprofit private residential childcare institutions may participate in the school lunch program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the lunch program get cash subsidies and USDA foods from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price lunches to eligible children. School food authorities can also be reimbursed for snacks served to children through age 18 in afterschool educational or enrichment programs.

What are the Nutritional Requirements for School Lunches?

School lunches must meet meal pattern and nutrition standards based on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The current meal pattern increases the availability of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in the school menu. The meal pattern’s dietary specifications set specific calorie limits to ensure age-appropriate meals for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Other meal enhancements include gradual reductions in the sodium content of the meals (sodium targets must be reached by SY 2014-15, SY 2017-18 and SY 2022-23). While school lunches must meet Federal meal requirements, decisions about what specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food authorities.

What types of foods do schools get from USDA?

States select entitlement foods for their schools from a list of various foods purchased by USDA and offered through the school lunch program. Bonus foods are offered only as they become available through agricultural surplus. The variety of both entitlement and bonus USDA foods schools can get from USDA depends on quantities available and market prices.

A very successful project between USDA and the Department of Defense (DoD) has helped provide schools with fresh produce purchased through DoD. USDA has also worked with schools to help promote connections with local small farmers who may be able to provide fresh produce.

Data 

Meal Reimbursement Rates (effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)

Free - 5.87

Reduced - 5.47

Paid - 0.66

Claiming Percentages 

Free                   Reduce             Paid

83.14%              16.86%               0%        STTJ

88.54%               11.46%               0%        STX

Meal Served in School Year 2023-2024

St. Croix District - 377,602

St. Thomas/St. John District - 411,798

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2817 on St. Thomas and 773-1095 x 4046 on St. Croix.

What is the School Breakfast Program?

The School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It began as a pilot project in 1966, and was made permanent in 1975. The School Breakfast Program is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service. At the State level, the program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with local school food authorities in more than 89,000 schools and institutions.

How does the School Breakfast Program work?

The School Breakfast Program operates in the same manner as the National School Lunch Program. Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or nonprofit private residential childcare institutions may participate in the School Breakfast Program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the breakfast program receive cash subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve breakfasts that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced-price breakfasts to eligible children.

What are the meal requirements for school breakfasts?

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed USDA to update the SBP’s meal pattern and nutrition standards based on the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Changes to the SBP’s meal pattern will take place gradually beginning in SY 2013-14. More whole grains will be offered; meals will supply appropriate calories for grades K-5, 6-8, and 9-12; and the sodium content of meals will be gradually reduced (sodium targets must be reached by SY 2014-15, SY 2017-18 and SY 2022-23). More fruit will be offered to students beginning SY 2014-15. While the previous SBP meal pattern is still in effect for SY 2012-13, school food authorities are encouraged to prepare for the required implementation of the new meal requirements next school year.

All school breakfasts must meet Federal meal requirements, though decisions about which specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food authorities.

Data 

Meal Reimbursement Rates (effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)

Free - 3.67

Reduced - 3.37

Paid - 0.49

Claiming Percentages 

Free                   Reduce             Paid

83.14%              16.86%               0%        STTJ

88.54%               11.46%               0%        STX

Meal Served in School Year 2023 -2024

St. Croix District - 220,932

St. Thomas/St. John District - 190,599

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2817 on St. Thomas and 773-1095 x 4046 on St. Croix.

What is the Afterschool Snack Program?

The Afterschool Snack Program is a federally assisted snack program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. The Afterschool Snack Program is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service. At the State level, the program is usually administered by State education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with local school food authorities in 25,978 schools and institutions. The program is available to feed children age 18 and younger.  Youth who turn 19 during the school year remain eligible until the end of the school year.

How does the Afterschool Snack Program work?

The Afterschool Program operates similar to the National School Lunch Program. Generally, public or nonprofit private schools of high school grade or under and public or nonprofit private residential childcare institutions may participate in the Afterschool Snack Program. School districts and independent schools that choose to take part in the snack program receive cash subsidies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each snack they serve. In return, they must serve snacks that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced-price snacks to eligible children.

What are the food requirements for afterschool snacks?

Afterschool snacks must contain at least two different components of the following four: a serving of fluid milk; a serving of meat or meat alternate; a serving of vegetables or fruits or full-strength vegetable or fruit juice; a serving of whole grain or enriched bread or cereal.

Data 

Meal Reimbursement Rates (effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)

Free - 1.58

Reduced - 0.79

Paid - 0.14

Claiming Percentages 

100% Free

Meal Served in School Year 2023 -2024

St. Croix District - 478

St. Thomas/St. John District - 5, 384

For more information about this program or interesting in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2817 on St. Thomas and 773-1095 x 4046 on St. Croix.

What is the Summer Food Service Program?

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded, State-administered program that reimburses providers who serve free, nutritious meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas when school is not in session.  It is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In most States, the State education agencies administer SFSP. In some areas, the State health or social service department may be designated. Locally, SFSP is operated by approved sponsors, including school districts, local government agencies, camps, or private nonprofit organizations.

How does the Summer Food Service Program Work?

Sponsors sign agreements with their State agencies to operate the program. SFSP reimburses approved sponsors for serving meals that meet Federal nutritional guidelines. Sponsors receive payments from USDA, through their State agencies, based on the number of meals they serve. Generally, sponsors provide free meals to children at eligible sites in low-income areas, such as schools, parks, or community centers.

Where does the Summer Food Service Program operate?

States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or camp sites. Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the Federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child attending an open site. Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half of them are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

Summer Meal Sponsors

Sponsors are at the heart of the USDA summer meal programs. While responsible for the operation of summer meal sites, sponsors also must ensure access to meals is available and known to eligible children in their communities.  This section of the toolkit includes resources to help sponsors operate a robust program. This includes information on meal planning, partner collaboration, vendor relations, and food safety as well as how to share resources and best practices.

Summer Meal Sites

Summer meal sites are where all the hard work of the State agency, partnering organizations, and sponsors come together. A smoothly run site is something that every sponsor and site operator hopes to achieve. The key is an organized, well-supervised program that meets the goal of the summer meal program: to provide fresh, well-balanced meals that are appetizing to children. This section of the toolkit includes resources for site operators, including general information about the program, how to develop a strong relationship with the sponsor, and how to share resources and best practices.

Data

Meal Reimbursement Rates (effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)

                                                              Operational                                               Administrative

Breakfast                                              3.52                                                              0.3500

Lunch or Supper                                6.14                                                              0.6425

Snack                                                    1.43                                                               0.1750

Number of Participating Sites

St. Croix District - 37

St. Thomas/St. John District - 32

Number of Participating Sponsors

St. Croix District - 1

St. Thomas/St. John District - 2

Meal Served in School Year 2023-2024

St. Croix District

Breakfast          Lunch             Snack 

 5,769                 19,893              1,068

St. Thomas/St. John District

Breakfast          Lunch              Snack 

 7,412                  19,893                9,766

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2817 on St. Thomas and 773-1095 x 4046 on St. Croix.

What are the Benefits of the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)?

Nutrition is an important part of good childcare.  All children need well planned meals and snacks that provide a variety of foods, and the nutrients needed for good health and energy.

Institutions that participate in the CACFP receive reimbursement to enhance their current menus to offer more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.  This increases the health and nutritional status of children enrolled while enforcing good eating habits.  The additional reimbursement also helps to keep the cost of tuition at more affordable levels.  Participating is truly a win-win situation!

• Your kids win because they are eating nutritious meals,
• Your childcare business wins because you are providing the food,
• The program attracts families to your childcare center, and 
• You win because the financial reimbursements help your cash flow

How is the Provider Reimbursed?

CACFP providers are reimbursed based on the number of meals served to enrolled participants; the rate of reimbursement is based on the eligibility category of each participant enrolled in the program.

Requirements for Participation

• Ensure that meals served meet the meal pattern requirements,
• File Accurate claims for reimbursement,
• Comply with requirements related to the financial management of the Program,
• Accept final administrative and financial responsibility for operating the Program, and
• Establish procedures to collect and maintain all necessary Program records from sponsored centers

Determining Eligibility

In centers, participants from households with incomes at or below 130 and 185 percent of poverty are eligible for free and reduced meals.  Institutions must determine each enrolled participant's eligibility for free and reduced-price meals served in centers. 

Children who are participants of Head Start or Early Start Programs are automatically eligible for free meals. Foster children who are the responsibility of the State or placed by the court, and children who are experiencing homelessness are also automatically eligible for free meals.  Adults who receive food stamps, FDPIR, Social Security Income (SSI), or Medicaid benefits are categorically eligible for free meals.

What Kind of Meals are Served?

CACFP facilities follow the meal patterns established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Breakfast: (Choose 3)

Milk

Juice, Fruit, and/or Vegetable

Bread or Cereal

Lunch or Supper: (All Components)

Milk

Meat/Meat alternate

2 servings of fruit and/or vegetable

Bread/bread alternate

Snack: (Choose 2 of the 4)

Milk

Bread/bread alternate

Fruit and/or vegetable

Meat/meat alternate

**High Sugar should be limited to two times per week and only served during breakfast and/or snack.  High fat items should be limited to two times per week.

At-Risk After School Program

Community-based programs that offer enrichment activities for at-risk children and youth, 18 and under, after the regular school day ends, can provide free meals and snacks through CACFP. Programs must be offered in areas where at least 50 percent of the children are eligible for free and reduced-price meals based upon school data.

Meal Reimbursement Rates (effective July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025)

Breakfast

 Free- $3.06

 Reduced- $2.76

 Paid - $0.49

 Lunch and Supper

 Free- $5.76

 Reduced- $5.36

 Paid- $0.55

 Snack

 Free– $1.58

 Reduced- $0.79

 Paid- $0.14

Cash-in-Lieu

Additional $0.3000

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 773-1095 x 7082 on St. Croix and 774-0100 x 2812 on St. Thomas.

What is the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)?

This is a national nutrition assistance program that provides food to needy people. Institutions and organizations such as non-profit, Charitable institutions and soup kitchens all partake in this program.  The second purpose of this program is to provide food for disaster relief in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.

The territory’s entitlement comes from the unemployment statistics reports for the territory generated by the local department of labor.  These numbers are used to calculate our somewhat smallish figure ranging around $50,000 to $60,000 now it has been raised to $129,000 for the last two years.   This allows the department of Education to purchase more food however the variety of items have decreased.  In addition to the entitlement dollars the program also receives item referred to as “bonus” commodities.  Bonus commodities do not count against our entitlement dollars, they are generally more limited in variety but still represent very good value since these items are also accepted by the patrons of the program.

Examples of the types of food this program distributes ranges from canned food to frozen food.  The Department of Education distributes this food to the needy, by way of USDA commodity household distributions.   Household distributions are conducted a minimum one per year on each of the three islands.   The distribution sites are normally a school where the public comes to provide information to determine their eligibility in exchange for a food package.  Just recently in the month of August 2014 the Department of education conducted a second round of Household Commodity distributions which were all well attended. (See the table be on the opposite page to see the number of households that received commodities in 2014)

What is the Food Distribution Program (FDP)?

This is one of several USDA-Food and Nutrition Service Nutrition assistance programs that benefits the National School Lunch Program and the Summer Food Service Program.  The benefit comes in the way of entitlement dollars that subsidize the cost of food for the operation of these programs.  Listed below is how those entitlement dollars are utilized by both programs.

• Entitlement dollars are shared proportionately between the St. Thomas/St. John district and the St. Croix district. Entitlement is calculated by the number of reimbursable meals served annually by an amount referred to as the commodity entitlement figure.    
• The result of this calculation is a range of $500,000 to $700,000 of entitlement dollars that the territory receives annually. 
• Parents and students should know that every time they pass up on a delicious meal in the cafeteria, they are causing the program to lose money. 
• Participation is directly connected to the entitlement dollars we receive.

Number of USDA Commodities Served for FY 2024

Dates	Location	Packages Distributed
	St. Thomas	0
	St. John	0
	St. Croix	0

Word of Appreciation

The Department of Education State Office of Special Nutrition Programs is responsible for the commodity household distributions in the territory.   This is a huge task for a small office.  Therefore, if  it was not for the countless numbers of volunteers that assist us with the distribution,  it would not have been successful.  We would like to extend a wholehearted THANK YOU to all our distribution volunteers.

Facts

1. MYTH:  USDA commodities are of poor quality or are second rate products.  FACT:  USDA commodities are always made from the highest quality food.
2. MYTH:  USDA commodities have high fat, sodium and sugar content.  FACT:  USDA set the standard years ago by reducing sugar, sodium and fat content in their commodities long before it became the industry standard for nutritious foods.
3. MYTH:   TEFAP program commodities are surplus foods or leftovers that no one wants.  FACT:  TEFAP program commodities are produced specifically for the program and are normally shipped directly from the factory or food packaging plant. This ensures that this food is some of the freshest around.
4. MYTH:  USDA only offers canned foods.  FACT:  USDA has a diverse catalog of foods that they offer.    The catalog ranges from frozen meat, poultry and fish to fresh produce to go along with the canned, dried pasta and grains that they offer.
5. MYTH:  The TEFAP program still gives out cheese to households.  FACT:  Cheese is no longer distributed however there are numerous other items available.

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2818.

What is the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program?

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools during the school day.

The goal of the FFVP is to improve children’s overall diet and create healthier eating habits to impact their present and future health. The FFVP will help schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices; expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience; and increasing children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.

When did the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program become a national program?

The FFVP began as the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program, authorized by Congress under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171) in a limited number of States and schools. The purpose of the pilot was to identify best practices for increasing fresh fruit and vegetable consumption among students, and to determine the feasibility and students’ interest.

In 2008 the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 established the FFVP as a permanent program and also expanded the FFVP nationwide to all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-234) amended the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) by adding section 19, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and substantially increased the funding level.

Who may participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program?

The 50 States, District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands participate. The FFVP is targeted to elementary schools with the highest free and reduced-price enrollment.

The schools in the Virgin Islands that participated in the FFVP during School Year 2023-2024 were:

St. Croix District

School                                                                   

None

St. Thomas/St. John District

School                                                                   

1. Joseph Sibilly Elementary School
2. Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School

Who administers the Program?

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the FFVP at the Federal level. At the State level, the FFVP is usually administered by the State education agency, which operates the program through agreements with school food authorities (SFA).

How does the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program work?

Elementary schools participating in the program receive $50.00 - $75.00 per student for the school year. The State agency decides the per-student funding amount for the selected schools based on total funds allocated to the State and the enrollment of applicant schools.

With these funds, schools purchase additional fresh fruits and vegetables to serve free to students during the school day. They must be served outside of the normal time frames for the National School Lunch (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). The State agency determines the best method to obtain and serve the additional fresh produce.

Schools participating in the FFVP submit monthly claims for reimbursement which are reviewed by the State agency before the payment is processed. Vendors are paid for the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables and for limited non-food costs.

Schools must follow all food safety requirements and HACCP guidance.

What are the Program requirements for eligible elementary schools?

Schools have the flexibility to develop their own implementation plan, choose the type of produce, number of days a week (FNS strongly encourages schools, whenever feasible, to offer the FFVP no less than 2 days a week) and times during the day (outside of NSLP and SBP operation) to provide free fresh fruits and vegetables to their students. Eligible elementary schools must submit an application that includes:

• The total number of enrolled students,
• A certification of support for participation in the FFVP signed by the school food manager, school principal and the district superintendent (or equivalent position), and
• A program implementation plan including efforts to integrate the FFVP with other efforts to either promote sound health and nutrition.

Schools are also encouraged to develop partnerships to help implement the program, such as with local universities, extension services and local grocers. Schools must also agree to widely publicize the availability of the program.

For more information about this program or interest in participating, kindly contact 774-0100 x 2812.