The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division is sending this notice to participants in the Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties in response to an emergency proclamation issued on January 8, 2025, by President Joseph Biden regarding the Southern California fires.
SANTA MONICA – President Biden has quickly approved Governor Gavin Newsom’s request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to support ongoing response efforts related to the major wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area.
Governor Newsom and President Biden were briefed by local and state emergency officials on the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires this morning at a fire station in Santa Monica.
Guidelines on Disaster Relief
For information on President Biden’s emergency proclamation, please refer to the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom web page
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For specific information on CDE Disaster Relief Guidelines, please refer to the CDE Disaster Guidance for Child Nutrition Programs web page.
For information on disaster assistance and resources in California, please refer to the CDE Disaster Guidance web page.
For information on emergency resources from federal, state, and local agencies, please refer to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) website
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Reimbursement Claims Submission Flexibility
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) can authorize the CDE to allow school food authorities, institutions, and sponsors to submit claims beyond the 60-day submission requirement. Claims submitted after 60 days, as a result of a disaster, are not subject to the one-time exception for late submissions. For more information on late claim submission due to disasters, refer to the USDA Policy Memoranda SP 46-2014, CACFP 12-2014, SFSP 18-2014 web document
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For assistance with submitting your claim, contact your Child Nutrition Fiscal Service Analyst on the CDE Nutrition Services web page.
Use of U.S. Department of Agriculture Foods During a State/Federally Declared Disaster
Disaster relief organizations may designate schools as community feeding sites or request that schools provide their USDA Foods to other feeding sites. USDA Foods are to be released on request to recognized disaster relief organizations such as the American Red Cross or the OES. Information regarding USDA Foods usage, reporting, and claiming procedures during a disaster can be found in Management Bulletin FDP–01–2023 located on the CDE Use of USDA Foods in Disaster Feeding web page.
The Disaster Feeding Guidance for School Food Service Using USDA Foods can be downloaded from the CDE Food Distribution Guidance, Manuals, and Resources web page.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding disaster relief for the following programs, please contact:
School Nutrition Programs (SNP) & Summer Meals Unit
- Malena Maldonado, SNP Specialist, by phone at 916-445-7359 or by email at mmaldonado@cde.ca.gov.
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- California Department of Social Services by email at CACFPinfo@dss.ca.gov, or contact your assigned analyst which can be found in Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) Download Forms CACFP-01 or on the CACFP Contact List web page
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Food Distribution Program (FDP)
- Augie Aguilar, Food Administration Unit Manager, by phone at 916-445-4850 or by e-mail at aaguilar@cde.ca.gov.