Community of Practice Call April 1, 2021

00:23:38
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Welcome! Please introduce yourself by typing your name, position, and where you work into the chat box. 

00:23:38
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
What are you spring break plans? Or how did you enjoy your time off during spring break?

00:24:07
Colleen Robinson:
Colleen Robinson-SDUSD

00:24:12
Laura Burns:
Good morning! Laura Burns, Wellness Policy Specialist, Virginia department of education

00:24:22
Tammy White:
Tammy White, San Jacinto Unified School District.

00:24:31
Brendan Shields:
Brendan Shields, Director of Food Services, Magnolia School District....Spring Break Food Service Program planned for next week.

00:24:34
ROBERT SCHRAM:
Robert Schram Clovis Unified, Just working for spring break!

00:24:35
Barbara Hughes:
Barbara Hughes, County of SD HHSA. No spring break for us!

00:24:38
Tammy White:
Spring Break next week - Catching our breath!

00:24:39
Chela Cooper:
Chela Cooper, MSDE OSCNP

00:24:40
Susan Dalandan:
Susan Dalandan, Lehigh Valley PA, No spring break here!

00:24:45
cristal cardenas:
Cristal Cardenas, Kings Canyon Unified! Its my Friday!

00:24:46
Trish Baugus:
Hiked w/the grands to Calaveras Counties Natural Bridges … gorgeous weather and land bridges!

00:24:46
Jen McNeil I LunchAssist:
Hi Everyone! Jen here from LunchAssist. Excited for some deviled eggs this weekend!

00:24:48
Mickinzie Lopez:
Good morning, everyone! Mickinzie from LunchAssist here! Getting ready to go to Zion for a few days! :)

00:24:49
Raquel Martinez:
Raquel Martinrz

00:24:50
Micha James:
Micha James, Director, MPUSD - no rest for the weary ;)

00:24:51
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Good Morning Everyone! Abby Halperin, Policy and Grants Manager at the Center for Ecoliteracy. Looking forward to going for a hike tomorrow!

00:24:53
Krystal Waldrop:
Krystal Waldrop, SC Department of Education, Office of Health and Nutrition. 

00:24:53
Rebekah Sullivan:
Rebekah Sullivan - UNC CH / No Kid Hungry NC

00:24:55
Janelle Manzano:
Janelle Manzano with SanDiego Unified

00:24:55
Mary Jennings:
Mary Jennings Carmel Unifired, carmel, ca.

00:24:56
Jodi Yager:
Good morning! Jodi Yager, Nutrition Services Director form Perris Elementary. No Spring break for me!!

00:25:00
Michael Ackley-Grady:
Michael Ackley-Grady - CDFA: Office of Farm to Fork - Farm to School Marketplace Lead. No Spring break here 

00:25:02
Nora Stewart:
Nora Stewart- my role has changed! I am now the Climate-Friendly School Food Manager with Friends of the Earth. I am taking daily walks outside

00:25:02
Cynthia Long:
Cindy Loleta Elementary School...working over break

00:25:03
Paloma Perez Bertrand:
Good morning! Paloma, LunchAssist...hiking!

00:25:03
Judy Mossa:
Judy Mossa, Calaveras USD

00:25:04
Karyn Whittington:
Karyn Whittington - Director of Nutrition Services, Placerville Union School District 

00:25:05
Patty Gallagher:
Good Morning.  Patty Gallagher

00:25:07
Natalie Lareau:
Natalie Lareau, program assistant at F2I Center. I spent a weekend in the bay area!

00:25:11
Ana Grajeda:
Good Morning Everyone Ana Grajeda LAAAE- went to San Diego a couple of days ago super cool

00:25:12
Mary Jennings:
Hi All,

00:25:21
Judi Shils:
Hi, Judi Shils, Conscious Kitchen. Happy yo be here.

00:25:40
Raquel Martinez:
Raquel Martinez Alisal Union School District

00:25:45
Nora Stewart:
Hello Crystal! Great to meet you! 

00:25:48
Erin Primer:
Morning! Erin Primer,  SLCUSD- can’t wait to spend time outside with my fam!

00:25:58
Crystal Whitelaw Hall:
Good morning. I’m Karen Brown, creative director, Center for Ecoliteracy.

00:26:14
Amy Glodde:
Morning. Amy Glodde contractor with No Kid Hungry in the Bay Area.

00:26:22
Emma Finn:
Hi Crystal! Great to meet you.

00:26:26
Alexa Norstad:
Morning, everyone! Alexa Norstad, Director of Programs for the Center for Ecoliteracy. Spring break this year will be camping with my kids for the first time.

00:26:37
Ana Grajeda:
Hello Crystal

00:26:39
CATHY MOURA:
Cathy Moura- Food Services Director Wright Elementary School Dist. I just finished a very relaxing Spring Break. 

00:27:08
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Join the LunchAssist community here: https://www.lunchassist.org/join

00:27:11
Stephanie Bruce:
Stephanie Bruce, Palm Springs USD - Director of Nutrition Services...What Spring Break? ;-)

00:27:48
Catherine Paredes:
Cathy Paredes; Borrego Springs USD Food Service Director; doing as little work as possible and going for walks in the Desert during Spring Break ;-)

00:28:01
Anne Moertel | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Good morning, my name is Anne Moertel and I am the Outreach and Communications Manager at The Center for Ecoliteracy. I am looking forward to embracing Spring by spending time outdoors!

00:28:13
Paloma Perez Bertrand:
Welcome everyone!

00:28:17
Emma Finn:
Buenos dias, everyone! Emma Finn here from the Climate-Friendly School Food Team at Friends of the Earth.

00:28:47
Paloma Perez Bertrand:
Buenos dias, Emma! welcome!

00:28:52
Suzy Sayre:
Good morning!  Suzy Sayre, Director of Nutrition Services, El Monte Union HS District

00:29:17
Mary Jennings:
I am planning school reopening with everyone on campus on April 19th the Monday after our Spring Break So I am spending Spring Break working! I am looking for a truck vendor. I recall seeing at the last SNA conference (in person) a food service truck that had a refrigerated and cold section for food deliveries. Does anyone know a manufacturer of this type of truck?? 

00:32:25
Stephanie Bruce:
Amazing Community effort.  Kudos to you all for managing this for all of us.

00:33:04
Brenda Ruiz:
Brenda Ruiz Sacramento Food Policy Council

00:34:00
Amanda Mascia - San Diego Hunger Coalition:
Gorgeous!

00:34:22
Anne Moertel | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Looks so good!

00:35:06
Emma Finn:
Check out the Conscious Kitchen x Friends of the Earth Case Study!

00:35:08
Emma Finn:
https://foe.org/resources/organic-plant-forward-scratch-cooked-school-meals-a-california-case-study/

00:35:10
Stephanie Bruce:
That's wonderful!!!  You go Barbara!!!

00:35:38
Mickinzie Lopez | LunchAssist:
Wow! I want one of those boxes…

00:35:39
Judi Shils:
Thanks everyone!

00:35:59
Emma Finn | Friends of the Earth (she, her):
WOW That's beautiful!!!

00:36:29
Bethany Markee:
This is excellent!

00:37:52
Trish Baugus:
Is West Contra Costa providing the boxes to cover a weeks worth of meals?

00:38:00
Judi Shils:
yes

00:42:37
Tammy White:
I see Steph's delicious items! I recognize those produce boxes!

00:42:41
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Google Form: https://forms.gle/gCRx91mNbYnbW95A6

00:43:40
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
For those of you working on reopening school - how are things going? What plans are in place at your school or district? What is working well? What challenges are you encountering at the moment?

00:45:07
Micha James:
Hybrid - some DL and others on campus. Will continue G&G for the DL students and will offer onsite service for those on campus...wish us luck!

00:45:14
Susan Dalandan:
Push to re-open schools in PA. K-3 back, but school after school is having rolling closures and may move back to a 2-3 week closure again due to COVID outbreaks among students and staff, especially transportation and food service staff (appointments opening up, but no vaccine available)

00:46:10
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
What is your school doing to promote program integrity during hybrid learning? What is going well? What questions do you still have on this topic? More on the blog: https://www.lunchassist.org/blog/what-is-a-program-integrity-plan

00:46:43
Bethany Markee:
We are now fully open. It is going well, and I think communication, especially with the principals at the sites it so key! We did close a few parking lot pick up sites that were close to others, to help save our very short staffed current situation.  This was helpful.

00:46:54
Diana Carrillo:
The program integrity plan template in the collective was SO helpful! I updated to my district and submitted to CDE and my TA was very impressed!

00:47:37
Paloma Perez Bertrand I LunchAssist:
@Diana, thanks for the feedback! so glad to hear it was helpful.

00:47:39
Susan Dalandan:
The meal provision mandate is a national mandate if you are part of the NSLP

00:48:06
Stephanie Bruce:
Thanks Tammy...Our farmer was able to lease an additional 40 acres to plant crops solely for our program!!!

00:48:28
Tammy White:
Warms my heart....:)

00:48:41
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Have you received your first vaccine? How is vaccine roll out working in your area?

00:48:55
Stephanie Bruce:
Fully vaccinated for over a month now!!!

00:49:13
Melinda Nguyen:
https://www.vaccinespotter.org/

00:49:21
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Check out the Summary of current waivers from No Kid Hungry - Share our Strength: http://bestpractices.nokidhungry.org/resource/summary-current-covid-19-child-nutrition-program-response-nationwide-waivers

00:50:32
Catherine Paredes:
2 of 5 FS Staff have received both vaccinations; the other 3 have received 1st vaccine.

00:52:03
Laurel Goins:
I go the one shot J&J and my family have all had their first. My team is mostly fully done now.

00:52:41
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Manage all of the paperwork that needs to be kept on file with this helpful checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dx80VEu87FenaX5XusBRUysoVqLUI9ec/view

00:52:46
CATHY MOURA:
With regards to the meal provision mandate, I was told by my CNC that since our students will be coming back for 2 hrs twice a week in the afternoons, we will not need to feed the students on those days. The students were told to eat lunch at home. We will be able to do Grab and Go for 5 days,  distributed one day a week. 

00:54:46
Catherine Paredes:
BSUSD has had students on campus District-wide to some degree since October 2020; currently have those students opting for on campus instruction attending Tues - Fri & approximately two thirds of the student population opting for Distance Learning. Meals are delivered to those households requesting meals Tues - Fri; students on campus receive Breakfast and Lunch and take home supper; Friday's meal bags include meals for Monday.

00:55:12
Amanda Mascia - San Diego Hunger Coalition:
… and Palmona! (Meals Count)

00:55:22
Amanda Mascia - San Diego Hunger Coalition:
*Paloma

00:55:49
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
Join us in advocating for SB 364: School Meals for All by sending in your support letter for before 5pm today: https://trk.cp20.com/click/3q47-2dlz52-1an55t-a36mla06/

00:57:03
Kat Soltanmorad:
Hi Krysta, Has there been work done to find out how SB364 would address the federal reimbursement?

00:58:07
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Great question @Kat! Maximizing the federal reimbursements in SB 364 is top of mind, such as through CEP and other provisions.

00:58:37
Clarissa Hayes (FRAC):
Learn more: https://frac.org/

01:00:21
Colleen Robinson:
Now that the CEP has been extended, has anyone heard anything about also extending Provision 2 deadlines?

01:00:45
Stephanie Bruce:
It works.  As enrollment declines, our participation has increased.  The stigma is gone.  We see students who qualified but wouldn't eat for fear of being branded a "poor" kid, are now participating at both breakfast and lunch along with all of thier friends!!

01:00:59
Krystal Waldrop:
Can some one share the link to the memo pertaining to CEP Deadline ext. for CEP data?

01:01:32
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
@Krystal, here’s the link about the CEP extension: https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/resource-files/COVID19NationWideWaiver82s.pdf

01:03:12
Kat Soltanmorad:
@abby --We are not all CEP as school districts. Hoping there are conversations around this if SB 364 passes if/before at the federal level.

01:03:35
Krystal Waldrop:
Thankyou! do states have to apply for this waiver like last SY ?

01:04:50
Stephanie Bruce:
The state would still have to fund those at 300% since that is not the federal rule, correct?

01:05:03
Crystal FitzSimons:
Correct.

01:05:21
Clarissa Hayes (FRAC):
FRAC action network: https://p2a.co/tScbQGr

01:05:22
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
@Kat, yes, we’re in discussions with CDE about how to maximize the federal reimbursement for districts that don’t qualify for provisions as well, with the state then making up the difference to provide free meals.

01:06:39
Stephanie Bruce:
Great work as always FRAC.  Thank you Alexis!

01:08:55
Nora Stewart | Friends of the Earth:
Same here! Hope you and the SDUSD team are doing well :) 

01:08:58
Laura Benitez I Center for Ecoliteracy:
https://www.lunchassist.org/blog/8-federal-requirements-of-the-lswp-infographic

01:10:46
Kat Soltanmorad:
Thank you Abby. Our district does not charge for reduced meals. Just hoping that districts that do not qualify for CEP are considered especially as we procure locally, scratch cook and more but often are not eligible for grants to support these efforts.

01:13:31
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Subscribe to Newsletter: https://www.lunchassist.org/join#two-step 

01:13:31
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
AR Boot Camp: www.lunchassist.org/ARBootCamp

01:14:19
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
@Kat, the current language in SB 364 is very ambitious — it applies to EVERY school and district, allowing schools to not only serve free meals, but also providing incentives for California-grown food and freshly-prepared food. We recognize that making this available to everyone will reduce stigma and hunger while benefiting California students and farmers. So glad to hear about your good work.

01:14:32
Crystal Whitelaw Hall:
A piece of history: The Center for Ecoliteracy participated in the development of the first district wellness policy in the US, in Berkeley, CA. It became the model for the federal mandate. The first item was “No student in the Berkeley Unified School District shall go hungry during the school day.”

01:15:30
Alexa Norstad:
Yay, Erin!!

01:15:46
Nora Stewart | Friends of the Earth:
Hello everyone! Excited to be apart of the Friends of the Earth team! If anyone is interested in TA Support for menu development, procurement assistance, education, etc. - feel welcome to reach out to me! 

01:16:13
Paloma Perez Bertrand I LunchAssist:
@Crystal wow! thanks for sharing!

01:16:47
Paloma Perez Bertrand I LunchAssist:
Congratulations on the new role, Nora!

01:17:39
Kat Soltanmorad:
@ Abby absolutely! I hope ALL children receive free meals with the same reimbursement as those district with higher or all CEP eligible.

01:18:20
Stephanie Bruce:
Same @Kat.  Been fighting for this for so long.  Hoping this is the time to make it happen

01:18:22
Emma Finn | FoE (she, her):
https://foe.org/resources/the-state-of-school-lunch-in-california/ 

01:18:23
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
https://foe.org/resources/the-state-of-school-lunch-in-california/

01:19:04
Kat Soltanmorad:
@Stephanie so true!

01:20:13
Stephanie Bruce:
Thank you all.  Have to run to another meeting.  Healthy Free mealls for ALL!!!

01:20:29
Abby Halperin | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Thanks Stephanie!

01:20:43
Paloma Perez Bertrand I LunchAssist:
Thank you so much, Emma and team!

01:20:51
Tammy White:
It has been great seeing all of you and learning new things. I'm off to a PEBT webinar. Stay safe friends!

01:21:12
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Blog Post + Template: https://www.lunchassist.org/blog/what-is-a-program-integrity-plan

01:21:33
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
School Nutrition Checklist - CDC  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/schools-childcare/School-Nutrition-Checklist.pdf

01:21:33
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Safely Distributing School Meals during COVID-19 - CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/safely-distributing-meals.html

01:21:49
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Commodity Resources: https://storage.googleapis.com/lunchbox-prod-v1/downloads/Commodity-Resources-Recipes.pdf

01:22:08
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Registration information and link: https://nationalcacfpsponsorsassociation.growthzoneapp.com/ap/Events/Register/aPoEakZr?sourceTypeId=Website

01:22:32
Brenda Ruiz:
For Californians: CDSS PEBT webinar recording from March 24: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/5479416610875385864

01:22:47
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Registration link: https://www.sgsonetwork.org/webinars/

01:23:48
Brenda Ruiz:
and the March 24 pebt ppt slides:

01:23:52
Brenda Ruiz:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMFHEQX9lZY4oe0rVBTqlql1zlzL9xwf/view?usp=drivesdk

01:24:27
Paloma Perez Bertrand I LunchAssist:
@Brenda - thank you for sharing the P-EBT Resources!

01:24:40
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Link to login and register: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/resources/trainings

01:24:42
Laura Benitez | Center for Ecoliteracy:
Link to grant: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=330864

01:26:59
Ana Grajeda:
Beautiful baby Jen awww :) Great mom as well

01:27:24
Susan Dalandan:
I emailed her some information...

01:28:22
Susan Dalandan:
Thanks for the awesome job as always for sharing the great information!

01:29:29
Jen McNeil I LunchAssist:
Aw thanks Ana - baby Lola wanted to say hola!

01:29:48
Susan Dalandan:
PA has already had their PEBT plan approved, but the process is so tedious that info will probably not be finalized until May.

01:30:34
Patty Gallagher:
Brenda,

01:31:06
Patty Gallagher:
Brenda Thanks so much for this info.  I have had a lot of families calling.

01:31:06
Susan Dalandan:
PA's child care setting is still in the approval process. USDA required a process to delineate the child-care from Pre-K, K, Headstart and Pre-K counts so that children are not counted twice.

01:31:10
CATHY MOURA:
I was wondering if Lunch Assist will be sending out an outline of the recent CA Tuesday@2 TownHall meetings

01:33:57
Emma Finn | FoE (she, her):
<3 weee!

01:34:07
Mercedes Cordova:
Beautiful baby Lola!

01:34:13
Mickinzie Lopez | LunchAssist:
Hi baby Lola! ??

01:34:32
Shawn Stake:
Made my day to see such a cute little girl! 

01:35:32
Emma Finn | FoE (she, her):
Thanks for having me, CEL x LunchAssist team!!

01:36:14
Crystal Whitelaw Hall I Center for Ecoliteracy:
So nice to meet all of you! Thank you!

01:36:22
Chela Cooper:
Thank you!