This bill requires the department of human services to allocate any temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) funds remaining unexpended at the end of a fiscal year to an eligible after school program located in an underserved community to provide nutritious meals to students enrolled in the program. Underserved community, under this bill, means a census tract determined to be an area with low supermarket access by the United States department of agriculture (USDA), as identified in the USDA's Food Access Research Atlas.
A program that receives surplus TANF funds pursuant to this bill must only use the funds to provide nutritious meals that are a nutritionally balanced assortment of foods eaten in moderate to large quantities on regular occasions through the day such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but does not include a snack or other small portion of food generally eaten between meals.
An after school educational program, including an after school child care program; a child care program; and an after school program developed by an LEA with a nonprofit organization, is eligible to receive surplus TANF funds from the department if the program meets the following criteria:
(1) It is located in an underserved community;
(2) It is operated out of a public school building, recreation center, local community center, early learning center, church, or other location that regularly serves students enrolled in the local public schools that has the capability or facilities required for the safe and adequate preparation and storage of nutritious meals for each of the students enrolled in the program; and
(3) It begins operating immediately after the regular school day and continues operating until 6:00 p.m. or later each school day.
This bill further provides that an after school education program that receives surplus TANF funds from the department must allow a student enrolled in the program to take the nutritious meal provided by the program home, if the student wishes to do so.
In addition, despite (3) above, an after school program is eligible to receive surplus TANF funds to provide nutritious meals to students enrolled in a summer learning program so long as the program provides care to students enrolled in the summer program for at least three hours each day the program is offered.