- If your travel is refundable, please move forward with the refund.
- If your travel is non-refundable, you will be able to request reimbursement from Action for Healthy Kids. Please ensure that you have documentation (e.g., receipts) demonstrating that the fare is non-refundable.
- If your travel is partially refundable, you will be eligible to seek reimbursement for the non-refundable portion of your ticket.
- The status will update as it moves through our internal review process.
- Once the check has been processed & mailed, the information for the check number and approval date of the reimbursement will populate.
- A downloadable copy of your reimbursement request is available for your records in the AFHK Portal once the form has been submitted.
- For support, please contact
- Baobao Shi, bshi@actionforhealthykids.org, for reimbursement or payment questions.
- Madeline Lee, mlee@actionforhealthykids.org, for technical questions if experiencing issues seeing or submitting the form.
- Baobao Shi, bshi@actionforhealthykids.org, for reimbursement or payment questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please see below for frequently asked questions. We will continue to update the information on this webpage as it becomes available. We appreciate your patience and flexibility.
General Questions
I heard the HMI Fall Summit was canceled. Is that true?
No, the USDA Fall 2025 Healthy Meals Summit is not cancelled. The summit is pivoting to a virtual conference to expand access to this unique and innovative opportunity.
Will there still be an in-person component in Las Vegas?
No, there will not be an in-person component held in Las Vegas for the Fall 2025 Summit. The entire event will be fully virtual.
Why was the summit changed to virtual?
The pivot to virtual will significantly expand the summit’s reach, so it’s not limited to those attendees who were able to travel to Las Vegas. The shift also opens exciting possibilities for maximizing networking opportunities throughout the summit and beyond.
Will the dates stay the same for the virtual conference?
The updated dates for the virtual Healthy Meals Summit are November 5th and 6th, 2025. Exact times will be made available soon.
Can more than three people from my SFA or organization attend the virtual Summit?
Yes! A benefit of the virtual summit is that there is no limit to the number of attendees that can attend from your SFA or organization. Please gather as many of your staff as possible to celebrate and learn together during the event.
May I share feedback to be considered for the virtual summit plan?
We welcome your viewpoints to help shape the virtual summit experience as we move forward together. Action for Healthy Kids is committed to planning an engaging and inspiring virtual summit. If you would like to share ideas for how the HMI summit can support your school meal program(s), please send an email to summit@healthymealsincentives.org. We recognize that personal relationships are the cornerstone of HMI and want to make sure your voice is heard.
What can I expect at the virtual conference?
The virtual summit has the same goals as previous conference: celebrating your efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals and sharing best practices and strategies for strengthening school food systems. The virtual summit will provide opportunities for connections, professional development, and celebration.
How will the virtual conference be structured?
The virtual summit will be an exciting and engaging event co-hosted by our virtual summit partner NxtGen Network. It will consist of live sessions, a virtual exhibit hall, pre-recorded learning opportunities, and networking gatherings. We are still in the design phase of the transition and will communicate details on the new summit format as soon as possible.
How can I explain to my school administrators that attendance at the virtual summit will be beneficial?
The goals of the summit have not shifted with the transition to a virtual event. The virtual summit’s live and pre-recorded opportunities will be enriching, engaging, and educational. Attendees will exchange best practices and learn strategies from peers and school nutrition leaders to better support child health through transforming school meal programs, enhancing nutritional quality of school meals, and strengthening the local supply chain.
Will the in-person summit be rescheduled to 2026?
The in-person Fall Summit has transitioned to a virtual summit, but it’s still planned to happen in 2025.
How can I network and connect with fellow awardees during the virtual summit?
We understand that networking and connection are critical components of the summit. We are committed to providing ways to develop meaningful connections with your peers virtually and will provide additional details as soon as possible.
Will the virtual summit sessions qualify for continuing education units?
We are reviewing whether the virtual summit learning materials will count towards USDA Professional Standards credits and will provide additional guidance. As with previous conferences, the sessions will not count towards other certifications.
Will we have access to learning sessions after the virtual conference?
After the virtual conference, we plan to provide access to recordings of the live virtual summit sessions and pre-recorded learning opportunities. More information on how to access these sessions will be shared soon.
If I have questions, who do I reach out to?
Please contact summit@healthymealsincentives.org and we will respond to you as soon as possible.
Virtual Summit Registration Questions
I registered for the in-person event. Can I update my registration for the virtual summit or will there be a new registration form?
An email was sent to all registrants on 9/2/2025 notifying that the registration for the in-person event has been cancelled. All attendees will be asked to register using our new virtual conference platform. We hope to make this information available by the end of September.
I registered for the event, but the other two representatives from my SFA didn’t register prior to it becoming unavailable. What are the next steps?
We will communicate the updated registration process as soon as possible. Due to the virtual format, we can accommodate a higher number of attendees. There will be spots available for your additional registrants.
I have not registered for the in-person event. How do I register for the virtual summit?
We will communicate the updated registration process as soon as possible.
Travel Cancellation and Reimbursement Questions
I’ve registered for the Fall 2025 Healthy Meals Summit in Las Vegas, NV. Should I book my travel accommodations?
No, please do not book travel accommodations. The event will be fully virtual.
I purchased travel arrangements. What happens now?
I’ve purchased non-refundable travel arrangements for a non-awardee (family member, friend, etc.) to join me. Will I be reimbursed?
Unfortunately, only travel purchased for summit attendees will be reimbursed.
How do I submit a reimbursement request?
One (1) airfare reimbursement request form may be completed per registrant. Please login to or create an AFHK Portal account to access the reimbursement request form. The same email used to register for the event needs to be used to login to the portal.
Find instructions for completing this form here.
What is the deadline for submitting reimbursement?
The deadline to submit the travel arrangements reimbursement request form is September 5th, 2025. Reimbursement forms will not be accepted after the form closes.
I paid for multiple flights for my team. How do I request reimbursement for everyone?
Each registrant needs to complete the reimbursement request form. The reimbursement will be sent via check, and the AFHK team can mail multiple checks to one (1) person, if needed.
Find instructions for completing the form here.
Do I need to cancel my hotel reservation?
Action for Healthy Kids has cancelled all hotel rooms that were booked on your behalf. Cancellation emails were sent from Caesar's Palace on 9/3/2025.
How can I check the status of my reimbursement?
Once the request is submitted via the AFHK portal, information will continue to update within the portal as the AFHK finance team reviews the requests. This is the most efficient place to check if you are wondering about the status of your reimbursement.
My reimbursement request has been approved. When should I receive the reimbursement?
Please allow up to two (2) weeks after the approval date for the check to be mailed to the address requested.
For more information, including additional reimbursement-related FAQs and information on required documentation, please see the additional FAQs here.
Session and Expedition Hall Proposal Questions
I submitted a break-out session proposal. What happens now?
We are currently working to reimagine the summit in a virtual setting. We want to provide a broad platform to share the stories and lessons learned by our HMI projects and partners. We will contact you to discuss your interest in presenting in this virtual setting. Please email summit@healthymealsincentives.org if you have any questions or concerns.
I submitted an Exhibit Hall proposal. What happens now?
We are currently working to reimagine the summit in a virtual setting, including the Exhibit Hall. We will contact you to discuss your interest in presenting in this virtual setting. Please email summit@healthymealsincentives.org if you have any questions or concerns.
I’m no longer able to present at the summit. Who should I contact?
Please email summit@healthymealsincentives.org with your name, organization name, and details of your session.
What if I submitted a proposal and want to make changes for a successful virtual session instead?
We plan to contact all presenters to discuss the virtual learning format and how we can best implement learning opportunities in either a live or pre-recorded format. We will continue to communicate with our potential presenters as we develop plans further.