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Who Can Participate in Happy Helpings?

Organizations wishing to participate in Happy Helpings, Georgia’s Summer Food Service Program, must be non-profit 501(c)3 organizations, government entities, colleges/universities, school systems, or National Youth Sports Programs (NYSP). Sponsors of the Happy Helpings program receive administrative reimbursement for the planning, administration, and site monitoring responsibilities of the program. They receive operating reimbursement for food, labor, transportation, and other costs related to serving meals. Each sponsoring organization is required to attend training and re-apply for the program annually. Most sponsors operate the program during the summer months. The program does, however, allow for meals to be served during breaks in year-round schools. The school must be closed a minimum of fifteen days to be eligible to serve meals during these breaks.

Sponsors have several options for providing meals. They may prepare meals onsite or in a central kitchen with the meals delivered to each serving site. Sponsors who choose either of these methods of meal service are considered self-preparation sponsors.

If the sponsor does not have the facilities or capability to prepare its own meals, they may contract with a school food authority or food service management company (FSMC) to purchase unitized meals. These sponsors are considered vended sponsors. Non-profit organizations may not be vended sponsors, i.e., they cannot contract with an FSMC, without permission from Bright from the Start.

Sponsors submit claims monthly to report the number of meals served during the claim month. Sponsors will be reimbursed for the number of meals served times the USDA established rate per meal.

¿QUIÉN PUEDE PARTICIPAR EN HAPPY HELPINGS?

Las organizaciones que deseen participar en Happy Helpings, el Programa de Servicios Alimentarios de Verano de Georgia, deben ser organizaciones sin fines de lucro 501(c)3, entidades gubernamentales, institutos de enseñanza superior o universidades, sistemas escolares o Programas Nacionales de Deportes Juveniles (NYSP, National Youth Sports Programs). Los patrocinadores del programa Happy Helpings reciben un reembolso administrativo por las responsabilidades de planificación, administración y supervisión del programa. Se les reembolsan los gastos de alimentación, mano de obra, transporte y otros gastos relacionados con el reparto de comidas. Cada organización patrocinadora debe asistir a la formación y volver a solicitar el programa anualmente. La mayoría de los patrocinadores llevan a cabo el programa durante los meses de verano. No obstante, el programa permite servir comidas durante los recesos en las escuelas de todo el año. La escuela debe estar cerrada un mínimo de quince días para poder servir comidas durante estos recesos.

Los patrocinadores tienen varias opciones para brindar comidas. Pueden preparar las comidas in situ o en una cocina central y entregarlas en cada sitio en que se sirvan. Los patrocinadores que eligen cualquiera de estos métodos de servicio alimentario se consideran patrocinadores de autopreparación.

Si el patrocinador no dispone de las instalaciones o la capacidad para preparar sus propias comidas, puede contratar a una autoridad de elaboración de alimentos escolares o a una empresa de gestión de servicios alimentarios (FSMC, food service management company) para adquirir comidas unificadas. Estos patrocinadores se consideran patrocinadores vendedores. Las organizaciones sin fines de lucro no pueden ser patrocinadores vendedores, es decir, no pueden contratar un FSMC sin permiso de Bright from the Start.

Los patrocinadores presentan reclamos mensuales para informar el número de comidas que se sirvieron durante el mes de reclamo. Se reembolsará a los patrocinadores el número de comidas servidas multiplicado por la tarifa por comida establecida por el USDA.

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