The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Suggestions for Advocacy
Is there a need for
more after-school activities in your community? Contact
local civic organizations and religious institutions
and encourage them to sponsor such activities. Let
them know about CACFP funding. These programs are
unavailable in most rural areas because they do not
meet the 50 percent "area eligibility requirement".
Contact your U.S. representative and ask that the
requirement be reduced to 40 percent.
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CACFP reimburses licensed child care centers
(including Head Start), family day care homes, homeless shelters,
after-school programs and adult day care centers for food provided
to eligible children and adults. As more and more mothers enter
the workforce, the need for quality childcare and structured after-school
programs is growing. CACFP improves the quality and sustainability
of these programs while providing necessary meals to low-income
children. Across Pennsylvania approximately 15,200 children a
day receive meals and snacks through CACFP-funded family day care
providers, and 56,500 children a day receive meals and snacks
through child care centers. A new pilot program called the CACFP
At-Risk Meals Program enables children in after-school settings
to receive an evening meal instead of just a snack.
Who can provide the service?
Registered and licensed daycare homes and childcare
center providers, including for-profit centers that receive federal
funding for at least 25 percent of enrolled participants, may
participate in the traditional CACFP.
For the after-school open enrollment program,
public agencies, and non-profit organizations such as Police Athletic
Leagues, YWCAs, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, park departments,
and religious congregations may qualify for CACFP reimbursement
for snacks and/or meals if they meet local health and safety requirements.
How is it financed?
CACFP is an uncapped entitlement funded entirely
by the federal government. It reimburses sponsors based on the
number and type of meals served to eligible enrolled participants.
In PA approximately $33.0 million will be spent through CACFP
during 2001; no state funds are involved. The PA Department of
Education administers the program.
Who can receive this service?
In the traditional CACFP program:
- Children 12 years of age and younger in licensed child care
homes or centers.
- Children 12 years and younger (age 15 for migrant children
and age 18 for disabled children) who are homeless and living
in a shelter.
- Adults enrolled in a licensed day care facility due to disability
or age.
In the CACFP At-Risk program:
- Children 18 years and younger who participate in an after-school
program located in a low-income area. (Areas qualify as low-income
if the school in the area has 50 percent or more of the children
certified to receive free or reduced price lunch, i.e. family
income below 185% of poverty). Children can receive a meal and/or
snack with this program.
What is provided?
For meals served in private homes, two levels
of reimbursement are available. The higher level ($.98 breakfast,
$1.80 lunch/supper, $.53 supplements) is paid to homes located
in a school attendance area in which 50 percent of the children
are eligible to receive free or reduced priced school lunches.
The lower level ($.37 breakfast, $1.09 lunch/supper, $.14 supplements)
is paid to homes that are not located in such areas. For meals
served in childcare centers, the reimbursement depends on the
income of the parents. In addition, centers may receive federal
food commodities.
In the after school program, all snacks are reimbursed
at the maximum rate of $0.58. Suppers are reimbursed at a maximum
rate of $2.14.
Contact:
Susan Still, PA Department of Education, at 1-800-331-0129.
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