Bennett Brooke L, Cohen Juliana F W, Andreyeva Tatiana, Esposito Julia, Burkholder Kara, Chafouleas Sandra M, Schwartz Marlene B
Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut, Hartford, Connecticut.
Center for Health Inclusion, Research and Practice (CHIRP), Merrimack College, North Andover, Massachusetts.
AJPM Focus. 2023 Jun 21;2(4):100124. doi: 10.1016/j.focus.2023.100124. eCollection 2023 Dec.
Significantly fewer children participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture-sponsored summer meal programs than in the federal school meal programs during the academic year. During the summer of 2021, several pandemic-related waivers supported more flexible operations for summer meal programs, such as allowing grab-and-go meals and the distribution of meals for multiple days at once. This study assessed how summer meal site characteristics and geographically targeted outreach methods were associated with summer meals served in 2021 in Connecticut.
Weekly meal count data were requested from all sponsors of the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program Seamless Summer Option. Data were received from 78 sponsors with 763 sites. Geographically targeted outreach (e.g., billboards, bus ads, and flyers) was tracked by location each week. Mixed methods ANOVA was used to examine the predictive value of outreach efforts, program characteristics, and meal distribution methods on meals served each week. The program characteristics examined included the hours open per week, the number of weeks serving meals, the maximum number of meals distributed at one time, and the number of open and closed sites in a school district.
Between June 21 and August 20, 2021, a total of 1,188,669 breakfasts and 1,389,347 lunches were served. Sites that were open more hours per week (mean=7.60 hours per week; range=0.17-35) and gave multiple meals to parents at each visit (mean=4.68 meals; range=1-15) reported greater rates of meal distribution. The outreach efforts assessed were not significantly associated with changes in meal distribution at nearby sites.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's waivers in response to COVID-19 permitted extended operating hours and multiple-meal distribution. These operational flexibilities should be considered for permanent regulation changes owing to their positive association with summer meal participation.
与学年期间参与美国农业部赞助的联邦学校供餐计划的儿童相比，参与暑期供餐计划的儿童数量要少得多。在2021年夏季，多项与疫情相关的豁免规定支持暑期供餐计划更灵活地运作，例如允许提供即取即走的餐食以及一次性分发多天的餐食。本研究评估了2021年康涅狄格州暑期供餐点的特征以及按地理区域定向推广的方法与暑期供餐量之间的关联。
向暑期食品服务计划和全国学校午餐计划无缝暑期选项的所有主办方索取每周的供餐量数据。从78个主办方的763个供餐点收到了数据。每周按地点追踪按地理区域定向推广（如广告牌、公交广告和传单）的情况。使用混合方法方差分析来检验推广努力、计划特征和餐食分发方式对每周供餐量的预测价值。所考察的计划特征包括每周开放时间、供餐周数、一次分发的最大餐食数量以及学区内开放和关闭的供餐点数量。
在2021年6月21日至8月20日期间，共提供了1,188,669份早餐和1,389,347份午餐。每周开放时间更长（平均每周7.60小时；范围为0.17 - 35小时）且每次向家长提供多份餐食（平均4.68份餐食；范围为1 - 15份）的供餐点报告的供餐率更高。所评估的推广努力与附近供餐点的供餐量变化没有显著关联。
美国农业部针对新冠疫情的豁免规定允许延长运营时间和进行多份餐食分发。鉴于这些规定与暑期供餐参与率呈正相关，应考虑将这些运营灵活性纳入永久性监管变更。
