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The Child and Adult Care Food Program
An Important Resource For Feeding Children and Providing Them Safe Havens

The Child and Adult Care Food Program provides additional resources for organizations seeking to care for children in afterschool programs, child care centers, family child care homes and homeless shelters. Charitable and non-profit community organizations feeding children in these programs can receive reimbursement for food and meal preparation, as well as training in the nutritional needs of children. Now the Child and Adult Care Food Program is even more valuable because new options enacted by Congress in late 1998 expand eligibility for children in afterschool programs and homeless shelters.

Child Care Centers and Family Child Care Homes
Child care centers and family child care homes are eligible to receive reimbursement for up to two meals and one snack a day for each preschool child participating. Centers and homes receive a higher level of reimbursement for serving low-income children. A child care center serving 25 mostly low- income children could be eligible to receive up to $26,000 a year for meals and snacks served. A family child care provider serving six low-income children would receive as much as $6,200 a year for meals and snacks served.

Afterschool Programs
Afterschool programs located in low and moderate income areas can be reimbursed for serving snacks to school-aged children up to age 19. For programs in these areas, all participating children automatically qualify for the highest level of reimbursement for the snacks, without individual applications. Afterschool programs in other areas are eligible to receive reimbursements for snacks served to low-income children up to twelve years of age. Reimbursements in this instance are based on individual applications which determine the family income of participating children: a higher level of reimbursement is provided for serving low-income children. The same is true for afterschool programs serving meals: they can receive federal funds, but only based on the child's family income and only for children up to 12. Each school year, an eligible afterschool program serving 35 children could receive up to $3,700 for snacks and to $13,700 for meals depending on the income of the participants.

Homeless and Domestic Violence Shelters
Homeless shelters, including domestic violence shelters and some transitional housing providers, are now eligible to receive reimbursements for up to three meals each day for children up to age 12. Shelters will receive a full reimbursement for all participating children. Shelters serving meals and snacks to 20 children each day could be eligible to receive up to $37,700 a year.

Next Step
To apply for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, contact your state Child and Adult Care Food Program agency, which is usually located in the state's Department of Education. For more information on this important program, contact Geri Henchy at ghenchy@frac.org.