Non-Discriminatory & Civil Rights Information

Civil Rights Statements and Information

The Civil Rights statements must be included on all program materials. This includes menus, eligibility notification letters, food service newsletters, home page of the school's website and verification notification letters.  Program information must be available in different languages including in part web pages, applications, parent letters.  Translation services from a certified translator must be available at no cost to participant. 

Non-Discrimination Statement

The following statement is to be included on all materials regarding USDA Programs that are produced for public information. The statement cannot be modified:

Federal Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English.  Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible State or local Agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

(1)       mail:

            U.S. Department of Agriculture
            Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
            1400 Independence Avenue, SW
            Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

(2)       fax:

           (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

(3)       email:
            program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

(Federal statement updated 5/18/2022)

Federal Non-Discrimination Statement - Spanish

Para todos los demás programas de asistencia de nutrición del FNS, agencias estatales o locales y sus subreceptores, deben publicar la siguiente Declaración de No Discriminación: De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.

La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable de administrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339.

Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea en: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027s.pdf, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por:

(1) correo:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; o

(2) fax:
(833) 256-1665 o (202) 690-7442; o

(3) correo electrónico:
program.intake@usda.gov
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.

State Non-Discrimination Statement

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

    Civil Rights Training

    All staff involved with the school meals programs must undergo civil rights training each school year. Training is not complete without training documentation. Training documentation is a dated and signed list of attendees.

    Training and Basic Agenda
    Local agencies are responsible for training their subrecipients, including “frontline staff.” “Frontline staff” who interact with program applicants or participants, and those persons who supervise “frontline staff,” must be provided civil rights training on an annual basis. Specific subject matter must include, but not be limited to:

    Collection and use of data, Effective public notification systems,

     

    Civil Rights in Child Nutrition Programs (30:00) 
    Civil Rights in Child Nutrition Programs (pdf)
    Civil Rights in Child Nutrition Programs (pptx)

    • Complaint procedures,
    • Compliance review techniques, Page 16 FNS INSTRUCTION 113-1
    • Resolution of noncompliance,
    • Requirements for reasonable accommodation of persons with disabilities,
    • Requirements for language assistance,
    • Conflict resolution, and
    • Customer service.

    "And Justice for All Poster" Poster must be displayed for customers to see and be a minimum of 11" X 14" 
    Prominently display the USDA nondiscrimination poster "And Justice for All," or an FNS approved substitute, except in family day care homes. If a State agency elects to produce its own posters, either due to unavailability from USDA/FNS or State agency preference, the reproduction must be approximately the same size as the applicable “And Justice for All” poster (11’’ width and 17’’ height).

    USDA Civil Rights web page

    Short USDA Version: "This institution is an equal opportunity provider"

    • With permission from Maine DOE, Child Nutrition this may be used where the longer statement does not fit
    • Must be in font size no smaller than font size used in rest of publication
    • Retain documentation giving permission to use the short USDA version
    • It is required to maintain a file with samples of pamphlets or flyers showing the non-discrimination statement
    • When in doubt, request permission to use the short version