THE HCS CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM
NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2022
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
Hello everyone.
We are almost at the end of the first 9 weeks of the 2022-2023 school year. The Child Nutrition Program has been very busy with fielding phone calls and emails regarding the Pandemic EBT cards that are being distributed by the State of Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR). Please keep in mind that DHR is the entity that makes the determination of eligibility and distributes these benefits to families.
We have also been working to process free and reduced meal applications. If you feel that your child may qualify for free and reduced school meals, then please complete a free or reduced application before the end of September. This can be done online at our HCS website at https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/departments/child-nutrition-program
Also, if you are receiving specific benefits then your child may automatically qualify based on their status which includes students who are classified as receiving SNAP, Medicaid, or reduced Medicaid.
We wish that all of you and our students will have a wonderful Fall break and please take some time out to spend with your families.
- H. Ward
Inspirational Quote of the Month
"The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving." — Oliver Wendell Holmes
ANNOUNCEMENTS!
CNP is NOW HIRING!!
CNP Worker
- CNP Supervisor
To apply for a position with Huntsville City Schools, you must complete an online application with the Alabama State Department of Education. Just Click the Link below to start the process
National School Lunch Week 2022 is October 10th - October 14th
NSLW 2022
To recognize the National School Lunch Program, serving nearly 30 million children each day, Huntsville City Schools will celebrate National School Lunch Week from October 10, 2022 -Ocotber 14, 2022.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day. President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW) in 1962 to promote the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has inside and outside of the classroom.
The 2022 theme is “NSLW 2022: Peace, Love & School Lunch.”
Research shows children are getting their healthiest meals at school. National School Lunch Week will highlight the nutritious foods available daily at Huntsville City Schools. The Child Nutrition Program offers several food options to provide students with the opportunity to attain healthy and nutritious meals. The district wellness policy speaks to the importance of encouraging healthy food choices and young people engaging in physcial activites.
Planned activities include giving students activity work sheets that will make it fun to learn about nutrition and the Child Nutrition Program staff will highlight the entire week by bringing attention to the important role that they play in the lives of children.
The federally funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been fueling students for success for 75 years. Students can enjoy the convenience of a healthy school lunch for just $2.65 per meal. Some students may qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
The “Peace, Love & School Lunch” campaign is made possible by the nonprofit School Nutrition Association and Kellogg’s. Parents and students can follow the fun on social media using the hashtags #NSLW22, #PeaceLoveSchoolLunch and #SchoolLunch.
For more information on National School Lunch Week, visit https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/departments/child-nutrition-program
DID YOU KNOW?
RD: Healthful snacking can have nutrition benefits
More people are snacking rather than eating the traditional breakfast, lunch and dinner, according to recent surveys, with researchers attributing the historic increase in snacking behavior to innovations in packaging, cultural changes and the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Registered dietitian Jessica Bihuniak says snacking on whole fruits, vegetables and other healthful foods, and being conscious of portion sizes, could help people meet nutrition recommendations.
Full Story: CNN (9/3)
Report: Food insecurity for children reached record low
Food insecurity among families with children fell to 12.5% last year -- its lowest rate in over 20 years -- according to a report released Wednesday by the USDA. The progress was made in a year when several social safety net programs were still in place, including universal access to free school meals.
Full Story: The New York Times (9/7)
Pandemice EBT Benefits
Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) is part of the U.S. government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020 (PL 116–127), as amended by the Continuing Appropriations Act 2021 and Other Extensions Act (PL 116-159), the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 (PL 116-260), and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2) provides the Secretary of Agriculture authority to approve state agency plans to administer P-EBT.
Through P-EBT, eligible school children receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. Children who would have received free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act if their schools were not closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance for at least 5 consecutive days are eligible to receive P-EBT benefits. P-EBT also provides benefits to younger children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) whose covered child care facility is closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance, or who live in the area of schools that are closed or operating with reduced hours or attendance
Pandemic EBT - State Plans for 2022-2023
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is releasing new Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) guidance to states for school year 2022-23. This guidance consists of a set of Q&As and a state plan template. These materials will look familiar; very little has changed since last year. The most significant change concerns the eligibility of certain children who enrolled in non-NSLP-participating virtual schools or began homeschooling in response to the COVID health emergency. For additional information on that topic, please see the P-EBT policy memo “Pandemic EBT - Updated Guidance on Virtual Schools” released Sept. 8, 2022.
USDA encourages all states to submit school year 2022-23 P-EBT plans for school children and children in child care. P-EBT continues to serve an important role for children who temporarily lose access to meals at school or in child care due to the health emergency. In addition, the approval of a school year plan remains a precondition for participating in P-EBT next summer.
USDA will schedule one or more webinars for states in the next week to go over this year’s guidance and to answer questions. Until then, please review the documents and direct your questions to your USDA-FNS regional offices.
Sincerely,
Lizbeth Silbermann
Acting Associate Administrator
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Sarah Smith-Homes
Acting Associate Administrator
Child Nutrition Programs
For more informaion click Pandemic EBT - State Plans for 2022-2023 | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)
CNP EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Ms. Yvonne McKinney, CNP Worker at Farley Elementary
Ms. Yvonne McKinney has been with Huntsville City Schools for over 15 years. She is originally from Huntsville, Alabama and she is a widow. She has two children named Jermal and Dorman along with three grandchildren named Micah, Alexis, and Rhyan.
Yvonne describes herself as a quiet, compassionate, and independent person and she has always lived in Huntsville, Alabama. Before working in the Huntsville City School Nutrition Program, Yvonne engaged in doing various odd jobs. She also states that what she likes most about Child Nutrition is watching the students come into the cafeteria and seeing how excited they are about what is for breakfast or lunch.
When she is not working, Yvonne likes to simply just rest and relax. She expresses that the students are her motivation to come to work every day in the Child Nutrition Program. Yvonne says that the highlight of her career is having teammates at work and she enjoys working with them. He favorite food is freshly cooked vegetables and she feels that she is very good at taking care of others.
Yvonne’s favorite type of music is Gospel and a lot of her co-workers may not know that she has a big heart and she loves being a giver. Yvonne expresses that if she were not working in Child Nutrition then she would likely have a job working with elderly patients. Yvonne’s hobby is reading, and she believes that Child Nutrition is important because it provides meals to students which assists them with focusing while in class.
Yvonne's favorite sport is college football where she roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Yvonne hopes to one day travel abroad to the continent of Africa. In the next five years, Yvonne states that she plans to retire. She also explains that her definition of success is based on a quote from Albert Schweitzer which is” Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful”
Location: Farley Elementary School, Southwest Green Cove Road, Huntsville, AL, USA
Welcome To The Team!
Liliana Cejas
Kahtuna Hubbard
Daniel Lopez
100 Health Score
- Goldsmith-Schiffman Elem.
- Hampton Cove Elem.
- Huntsville High
- Huntsville Jr. High
- Jemison/ McNair
- Jones Valley Elem.
- Monte Sano Elem.
- Mt. Gap Elem./Middle
Employees of the Month
Sylvia Townsend, CNP Worker at the Academy for Academics and Arts
-Norma Martin, CNP Supervisor at the Academy for Academics and Arts
Lashunda Freeman, CNP Supervisor at the Academy for Science and Foreign Language Elem./Middle School
"Lashunda is a long-term employee at HCS. She gladly accepted the role of CNP Supervisor at ASFL. Since obtaining the position, she has worked diligently to perform all task in a timely manner and is very informative about any deficiency that is going on in her kitchen. We are proud to have her on the CNP Team as a Supervisor."
-Sonya Mastin, CNP Coordinator
BIRTHDAYS
Nekarla Steele 9/1
Michelle Hill 9/2
Sylvia Townsend 9/3
Wynona Beshears 9/4
Michelle Bunnell 9/7
Nely Fomby 9/9
Ebony Lewis 9/14
Latoya Jennings 9/17
Shanda Milton 9/19
Jonathan Steele 9/19
SERVICE ANNIVERSARIES
Debbie Casteel 34 years
Sammie Johnson 24 years
Pam Majors 21 years
Lamanda Holloway 20 years
Dernia McComb 19 years
Wonda Miles 19 years
Belinda Phillips 17 years
Donna Muhammad 10 years
Sheila Shockley 5 years
Mirtha Petty 5 years
Priscilla Gonzalez 3 years
CONTACT US!
Website: https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/departments/child-nutrition-program
Location: 714 Bob Wallace Avenue Southwest, Huntsville, AL, USA
Phone: 256 428-6955
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/huntsvillecitycnp
Twitter: @HUNTSVILLECITY1