Blame the pandemic.
The Lewiston school nutrition program expects to lose tens of thousands of dollars in federal reimbursement because it served fewer meals this year.
“There’s an interesting trend in Maine and across the country,” said Alisa Roman, nutrition program director for Lewiston Public Schools and president of the Maine School Nutrition Association.
“Schools are scrambling, ‘Oh my goodness, what are we going to do?’” she said in a recent phone interview. “It will definitely be a challenge for most.”
Other districts including those based in Poland, Farmington, Rumford and Paris also expect less money from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which fully or partially funds school meals.
AUGUSTA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released a continuation of needed flexibilities for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) through Summer 2021. We are so grateful for the USDA waiver extensions through this incredibly difficult time, said Walter Beesley, Maine Department of Education s Director of Child Nutrition. The newest extension will allow Maine schools to continue to provide complimentary emergency meals in creative ways at school, remotely, and on weekends to children of all ages through the summer months.
In response to the needs of program operators and State administrators, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service has released a series of waivers to maximize flexibility and limit exposure to COVID-19, while maintaining accountability. The waivers are currently scheduled to expire June 30, the statutory end of the school year.
When the pandemic closed schools last spring, school nutrition departments swung into action. In only a few days, many opened meal distribution sites and