About CACFP
Why CACFP Is Important
USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program plays a vital role in improving the quality of child care and making it more affordable for many low-income families. Each day, 3.2 million children receive nutritious meals and snacks through CACFP. The program also provides meals and snacks to 112,000 adults who receive care in nonresidential adult day care centers. CACFP reaches even further to provide meals to children residing in emergency shelters, and snacks and suppers to youths participating in eligible after school care programs.
In 1968 the federal school lunch program was initiated. The success of that program and recognition that quality nutrition is essential for younger children prompted expansion 1975. The food program was designed to bring financial supplementation, education, resources, and support into facilities caring for children from birth to 13 years old at no cost to the care giver. Sponsors like Southwest not only administer the reimbursement of food dollars; but also visit each home throughout the year. These visits offer parents an added layer of assurance that their child is in the hands of a professional. Providers may turn to program representatives for feeding questions, parent concerns, recipes and activity ideas, ongoing education, and general support for their profession, Sponsors like Southwest partner with other agencies in the child care community to form a cohesive network of quality.
Why Choose to be a Part of a Food Program?
As you enter into this profession you will be thinking a lot about how to do the very best for your children. Licensing regulations will be the foundation for the Safety and well-being of everyone involved and they include serving foods according to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal patterns. So, if you are already required by your license to follow this nutritional structure, why not receive a little money to help you be your best?
In addition to extra dollars that will stretch your business budget, we believe our mentorship can guide you to simple, straight forward ways to serve children healthy foods. We also want you to have a little fun on this nutritional journey, so we offer a wide array of educational and support materials, workshops, and activities. We are your partner in quality!
Quality review agencies like NACCRA, the Dept of Education, and NAEYC have identified food program participation as something parents should look for in a provider. Affiliation with our program boosts parent confidence that their child is receiving great care.
How Much Reimbursement Can I Receive???
The amount is dependent upon the number of children you feed and which meals or snacks are offered; so it’s a little different for everyone. The following chart will give you an idea of the “typical” reimbursement for a provider who serves breakfast, lunch, and one snack with six full time children.
The payment tiers are based on area economy and some providers may even qualify to receive reimbursement for their own children! The amount could be more if you offer evening and weekend shifts, you care for additional school age children, or you obtain a license type that allows for additional capacity!
| Regular Tier/ Per day | Higher Tier/Per day | |
| Breakfast 6 X | $0.59 = $3.54 | $1.65= $9.90 |
| Lunch 6 X | $1.88 = $11.28 | $3.12= $18.72 |
| Snack 6 X | $0.25 = $1.50 | $0.93 = $5.58 |
| Per Day Total | $14.82 | $34.20 |
| Avg 20 days per month | $296.40 | $684.00 |
Family Day Care Homes
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is federally funded and provides reimbursement for meals and snacks served to small groups of children receiving nonresidential child care in private homes that are licensed, registered, or approved to provide family child care.
CACFP targets higher levels of reimbursement to low-income areas, and to child care providers and children most in need. The reimbursements make the cost of child care more affordable for many lower income families as well as supporting the provider with education and coaching for their nutrition program.
Health and safety standards, training, and monitoring make CACFP an important component of quality child care, especially in family day care homes.
To learn more, please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/child-and-adult-care-food-program
What We Do
- Educate providers on best nutrition practices
- Provide mentorship and resources to enhance your business
- Ensure our providers understand and follow program requirements through visitations and menu reviews
- Disburse reimbursement funds to each provider monthly