About Us

What is Southwest Food Program, Inc.

Southwest has been serving Colorado as a Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)  sponsor since 1988, Southwest remains dedicated to the education and support of licensed family child care providers, their children, and families.  We administer remibursement for meals and snacks that meet or exceed USDA requirements and promote healthy eating for young children across Colorado.

USDA FUNDED … A Program to Raise Nutrition Quality for American Children like The School Lunch Program and WIC

• Yes there are rules, but they set the stage for healthy development and appropriate use of federal funds
• Creditable vs Non-creditable means… (which foods we may or may not pay for) Healthy goals!

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Represents USDA in Colorado to Oversee Sponsors Like SouthWest: 

• As part of the Colorado Dept of Public Health and Environment, CACFP perform audits of sponsor agencies like Southwest who serve in licensed homes
• CACFP provides Southwest with a budget to pay for all provider claims, supplies, training materials, office staff, and other resources so that the program does not cost the provider. We are non-profit.

Then we : Southwest food program

• Educate providers on best nutrition practices
• Provide mentorship and resources to enhance your child nutrition program and your business
• Ensure our providers understand and follow program requirements through visitations and menu reviews
• Disburse reimbursement funds to each provider monthly

The Money Process

• Providers complete menus every day throughout the month (paper and internet options available)
• Providers send their claim for reimbursement (i.e. menus) to Southwest at the end of each month
• Southwest verifies each menu entry, tabulates a total, and forwards a request to CACFP for funds
• CACFP disburses claim dollars down to Southwest for distribution to providers.
• Providers use these funds to raise the nutritional quality of their individual food service

It’s Our Job to Help You Do Your Best for Your Children. Shaping Little Lives Every Day!

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the bases of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, reprisal or retaliation of 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 (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, 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: US Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or fax: (833)256-1665 or (202)690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov.  This institution is an equal opportunity provider.     Revised May 2022