Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
The Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a financial assistance program that promotes good nutrition and healthy eating. As an extension of the National School Lunch Act, CACFP is intended to assist child care facilities with the cost of providing nutritious meals and snacks and improve the quality of nutrition and eating habits of children.
Who is Eligible?
All licensed family child care homes may participate in the program. Child Care Resources Inc. serves as the area's premier sponsor of the CACFP, offering reimbursement for food costs, assistance with paperwork and training on nutrition and related issues. Note: A family child care home does not have to offer subsidized child care to be on the CACFP.
Monetary Reimbursement
Every month you will receive a check from Child Care Resources for each snack and meal you serve per child. If you serve five children breakfast, lunch and snack five days a week, your monthly check will be between $197 - $409. Rates vary depending on the federal guidelines established for the particular children in your care.
Free Resources
CCRI provides you with free training materials and resources to help you operate your business in an effective manner, including self-addressed stamped envelopes, recipes, nutrition information and activities. As a member of Child Care Resouces' CACFP program, you'll also have easy access to all of Child Care Resources' services such as the region's most comprehensive child care database, an experienced staff of child development trainers, Mecklenburg County's child care subsidy program, and experts in family involvement.
Click here to download Child Care Resources’ CACFP Food Program Manual
* link to PDF
Free Training
Numerous classes on nutrition-related issues, such as basic nutrition for children, feeding infants, success with picky eaters, holiday foods, nutrition and brain development, are taught throughout the year. Training session provide opportunities to sample new and nutritious recipes.
Free Training Credits
Each CACFP class hour counts towards the 12 credit hours a family child care provider needs to meet licensing requirements.
Free Home Visits
Your consultant (specialized in CACFP administration) and a registered dietician, will visit your program to review and assist with all your questions concerning records and nutrition needs. A personal consultant, who will be knowledgeable of your needs and child care issues, will be assigned to assist you with food service ideas and record keeping for the program.
Registered Dietician
Child Care Resources provides free consultations during home visits or over the phone with a registered, licensed dietician. Our dietician is available to assist you with any nutritional or special needs of a child in your care.
Free newsletters
All of our providers receive our quarterly publications, Taking Care, the Region 7 Child Care Resource & Referral Training Calendar and the CACFP Grapevine, keeping you informed with interesting articles, regulations, recipes and workshops.
Click here for more information about the CACFP program.