Policies » Section A: Foundations & Basic Commitments » ACF: Food and Nutrition Services: Anti-Discrimination and Civil Rights Complaints

Policy Date: 02/18/2025

HSD File: ACF

HOOKSETT SCHOOL DISTRICT
FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES: ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS
COMPLAINTS

USDA 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.(*See note at end of this Section A.)

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: USDA Form AD-3027 (linked tested 2024/5/9), 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:

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

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

Email:
Program.Intake@usda.gov

Additional Discrimination Complaint Information

Any person or representative alleging discrimination based on a prohibited basis relative to any of the District’s food service programs has the right to file a complaint within 180 days of the alleged discriminatory action.

District staff who receive a complaint alleging illegal discrimination in the district’s nutrition program will forward the complaint to the District’s Human Rights/Non-Discrimination Officer immediately, who shall note whether the allegation was made verbally or in person and will transcribe the complaint if it is not provided in writing. As required by the USDA, the Human Rights/Non Discrimination Officer will forward the complaint to the USDA Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights immediately and will not first attempt to resolve the complaint prior to contacting the USDA.

Notice of Non-Discrimination Statement and Program Rights

The Superintendent shall ensure that all materials and resources that are used to inform the public about any USDA supported Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) program include the complete, most current USDA non- discrimination statement in its exact wording. The statement may be accessed at: USDA Non-discrimination Statement (Other Programs) (link tested 2024/5/9).

At a minimum, the full USDA non-discrimination statement must be included on the following materials related to USDA programs:

FNS Application Form(s)
Notification of Eligibility or Ineligibility
Expiration of Certification Notification
Discontinuance Notification
Program (Home) Web Page
Other Public Information

If the size of the material is too small to include the full USDA Non-Discrimination statement (e.g., newspaper printing of menus), the material must at a minimum include the following statement in print the same size font as the main text: “This institution is an equal opportunity provider.”

Display of “And Justice for All” Poster.

The USDA requires that its “And Justice for All” non-discrimination poster is prominently displayed in each location where FNS meals are most frequently provided (e.g., school cafeteria). Each poster must be no smaller than 11″ x 17″ and placed in a location that enables program participants to read the text regarding civil rights complaints without obstruction.

Adopted: February 18, 2025