Office of Nutrition Programs and Services (ONPS)
The Office of Nutrition Programs and Services provides educational leadership, program technical assistance, federal and state funding and general services that promote and fund health, nutritional daily needs of children and adults and nutrition education for all program participants through the administration of USDA Child Nutrition Services in New Hampshire schools, institutes and summer programs.
Brief Overview of the Office of Nutrition Programs and Services
SY 23-24 USDA Free and Reduced Application and Supporting Documents
Free and Reduced Price Family Meal Application Information
Free and Reduced Price Family Meal Application Instructions
Free and Reduced Price Family Meal Application
USDA Memos
Civil Rights
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) provides an alternative approach for offering school meals to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools in low-income areas, instead of collecting individual applications for free and reduced-price meals.
The CEP allows schools that predominantly serve low-income children to offer free, nutritious school meals to all students through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. The CEP uses information from other programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF) instead of traditional paper applications.
For Parents and Students
The New Hampshire Department of Education helps local schools administer their nutrition programs but does not determine program eligibility. To apply for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, please contact your local school.
Afterschool Snack Program
The Afterschool Snack Program is made available to serve healthy reimbursable snacks to children participating in the after-school programs run by schools or childcare sponsors. In New Hampshire, 1,813,557 snack meals have been reimbursed.
The Department of Agriculture also donates surplus commodity foods for lunches served under the program. These foods are distributed by the Surplus Distribution Section of the Department of Administrative Services, Surplus.distribution@nh.gov, (603) 271-2602.
Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) was established for childcare centers in 1968 under Section 16 of the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act.
CACFP provides aid to child and adult care institutions and family or group day care homes for the provision of nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children, and the health and wellness of older adults and chronically impaired disabled persons.
Through CACFP, more than 3.3 million children and 120,000 adults receive nutritious meals and snacks each day as part of the day care they receive.
See how CACFP can make a difference in the quality of your program! Whether you are a provider in your home, at a day care center, in an afterschool program, or in an emergency shelter, you will find many useful resources for serving nutritious meals and snacks.
Contact:
Patty Carignan, Program Specialist
(603) 271-3862 or patricia.j.carignan@doe.nh.gov
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides reimbursements to participating schools to serve, during the school day, fresh fruits and vegetables to students during non-mealtimes.
Contact:
Maddie Anastasia, Program Specialist
603-271-3864 or madeline.r.anastasia@doe.nh.gov
National School Lunch Program
School Breakfast Program & Seamless Summer Program
Nutrition Standards for School Meals
The purpose of the National School Lunch Program is to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children, as declared in 1946 by Congress in the National School Lunch Act. The School Lunch Program makes it possible for schools to serve nutritious inexpensive lunches to students each day. Schools may also serve meals during summer months. Last school year, in NH, over 30 million meals were reimbursed. USDA provides program funding and administration.
Schools receive reimbursement for all meals which meet meal pattern requirements specified by the USDA in regulation CFR 210. Schools may qualify for higher "severe need" reimbursements if a specified percentage of their meals are served free or at a reduced price. In addition, meals must meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans when averaged over a week. There is one menu planning option available to schools. The Office of Nutrition Programs and Services provides technical assistance and guidance to schools to ensure that the lunch program operates in accordance with the regulations of the National School Lunch Program.
The Department of Agriculture also donates surplus commodity foods for lunches served under the program. These foods are distributed by the Surplus Distribution Section of the Department of Administrative Services, Surplus.distribution@nh.gov, (603) 271-7838.
Contact:
Amanda Marshall, Administrator
603-271-3860 or amanda.a.marshall@doe.nh.gov
Special Milk Program
The Special Milk Program provides participating programs whose children do not have access to a meals program, opportunities to serve and receive reimbursements for milk. $261,060.85 is provided to participating programs to support the purchase of milk to children
For more information, visit the USDA Special Milk Program.
Contact:
Madeline Anastasia, Program Specialist
(603) 271-3864 or madeline.r.anastasia@doe.nh.gov
Summer Food Service Program
The SFSP provides reimbursements to participating programs to serve nutritious meals to children in residential camps, day camps, open site locations, closed site locations, schools.
Contact:
Patty Carignan, Program Specialist
(603) 271-3862 or patricia.j.carignan@doe.nh.gov
Outsourcing your Program through a Food Service Management Company or a Vended Meals Contract.
Outsourcing the meals program to a Food Service Management Company is a major decision for a School Food Authority to make. The contracting with an outside company to provide management services and/or meals comes with great monitoring responsibilities.
See below for contact information for Tamara Feener regarding the contracting process for NSLP and Patricia Carignan for CACFP & SFSP.
Contact:
Tam Feener, Program Specialist (NSLP)
(603) 271-0054 or tamara.j.feener@doe.nh.gov
Patty Carignan, Program Specialist (CACFP, SFSP)
(603 271-3862 or patricia.j.carignan@doe.nh.gov
Child Nutrition Program participants- log in to MyNHDOE
Waivers
- SY 2022-23 Child Nutrition Programs Waivers
- USDA Approved Waivers for the Summer of 2022 and SY 2022-2023
- SFSP Integrity Rule Waiver FY23
- CACFP Wavier Request Oversight and Monitoring Plan FY23
Waiver Requests
The Department of Education is seeking a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services. The purchase of this waiver is to support postponing deadlines for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for SY2023-2024
The NH Department of Education is seeking a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services. The purpose of this waiver is to support all Sponsors operating the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) as well as the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs in a non-congregate feeding due to unexpected closures for the 2023-2024 school year.
The NH Department of Education is seeking a waiver from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services. The purpose of this waiver is to support postponing application deadlines for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) application for the 2023-2024 School Year.
UPDATED USDA MEMO
Alternative Services Available
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
The contact for interpretive services is the NH Commission for Human Rights. Their contact information is: 603-271-2767, press #0 to request a language interpreter, or email the Commission at humanrights@nh.gov and make an appointment for language interpretation.- NHED - ESOL K-12 English for Speakers of Other Languages
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish) - USDA LEP Information
- USDA Eligibility Manual for School Meals
- NHED - ESOL K-12 English for Speakers of Other Languages
- NHED Special Education
- Complaints and Due Process Hearings
- Forms, Guidance, Documents, Handbooks, and Reports
- Procedural Safeguards
NH Procedural Safeguards Handbook, based on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 and the New Hampshire Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities adopted March 23, 2017.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement / Food and Nutrition Services
This Institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
The Office of Nutrition Programs and Services Team
Amanda Marshall, Administrator
603-271-3860
amanda.a.marshall@doe.nh.gov
Patty Carignan, Program Specialist (CACFP & SFSP)
603-271-3862
patricia.j.carignan@doe.nh.gov
VACANT (NSLP, SBP, Special Milk)
amanda.a.marshall@doe.nh.gov
Tam Feener, Program Specialist (NSLP)
603-271-0054
tamara.j.feener@doe.nh.gov
Ruth Howard, Program Specialist (NSLP)
603-271-3863
ruth.howard@doe.nh.gov
Maddie Anastasia - Program Specialist (FFVP & NSLP)
603-271-3864
madeline.r.anastasia@doe.nh.gov