ArticleThe Journal of school health2025
Emergency Free School Meal Distribution Across Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study.
Article in The Journal of school health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic triggered nationwide school closures in March 2020, putting millions of children in the United States who depended on subsidized school meals at risk of hunger. In response, the US Department of Agriculture activated the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program to provide emergency free school meals. This study examined organizations' experiences implementing these programs from March 2020 to September 2021.
methodsThe study utilized a mixed-methods approach, which included: (1) conducting in-depth interviews with managers at program sponsor agencies responsible for meal distribution (n = 9), and (2) distributing a survey to meal site managers (n = 41). We conducted thematic analyses of interviews and descriptive statistics for survey items.
resultsThematic analyses revealed challenges related to families' ability to access meal sites and communication gaps between organizations, hindering meal program implementation. Sponsors highlighted the benefits of federal waivers enabling grab-and-go options and extended pick-up hours, which enhanced operations and family participation. Survey findings also showed that most sites regularly offered fresh produce and whole grains during the pandemic.
conclusionsContinuing meal program flexibilities could boost family participation and expand equitable access to school meals during summers or school closures.
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