**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WE WILL ESTABLISH MUCH-NEEDED, EVIDENCE-BASED FOOD SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL PRACTICES TO MAKESHARE TABLES MORE FEASIBLE AND ATTRACTIVE TO THE NEARLY 100,000 SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTING THENATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, FACILITATING SYSTEMS CHANGE TO AMELIORATE CHILD FOOD INSECURITYAND FOOD WASTE. SHARE TABLE IMPLEMENTATION IS CURRENTLY LIMITED BECAUSE THE EXISTING GUIDANCE ONSHARE TABLE FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IS FRAGMENTED AND NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH TO GUIDE SCHOOL-LEVELACTION. OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO ADDRESS THE FOOD SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL CONCERNS OF STAKEHOLDERSTHAT ARE HINDERING SHARE TABLE FOOD RECOVERY. WE WILL CONDUCT QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WITH HEALTHINSPECTORS TO IDENTIFY THE PERCEIVED FOOD SAFETY RISKS THAT ARE INFORMING LOCAL HEALTH CODEVARIATION. NEXT, WE WILL CONDUCT A QUANTITATIVE MICROBIAL RISK ASSESSMENT OF FOODBORNE DISEASERISK DUE TO THE CONSUMPTION OF SHARE TABLE FOOD ITEMS TO ADDRESS STAKEHOLDER FOOD SAFETY CONCERNSAND IDENTIFY BEST FOOD-SAFETY PRACTICES. USING THESE RESEARCH FINDINGS, WE WILL DEVELOP AND PILOTSHARE TABLE TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION RESOURCES IN 60 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE MIDWESTERN UNITEDSTATES. FINALLY, WE WILL PROVIDE CONSISTENT, EVIDENCE-BASED SHARE TABLE RESOURCES ACROSS PUBLICHEALTH, SCHOOL NUTRITION, AND FOOD PANTRY SECTORS THROUGH NATIONALLY DISSEMINATING OUR RESEARCHFINDINGS AND SHARE TABLE RESOURCES TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS WHILE MONITORING AND EVALUATING THEIR USE.OUR PROJECT OUTPUTS WILL PROVIDE A DATA-DRIVEN PLAN OF ACTION TO ALL KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT WILLREDUCE FOOD WASTE, INCREASE HEALTHY FOOD DONATIONS TO NON-PROFITS, AND CREATE COST SAVINGS FORSCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS WHILE PROTECTING CHILDREN'S SAFETY AND PROMOTING IMPROVED NUTRITIONALSECURITY.