Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger is working with childcare centers throughout the state to provide information and training on how to participate in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
CACFP is a key source of support for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children. The program generally operates in childcare centers, outside-of-school-hours care centers, and family daycare homes, as well as some adult daycare centers and after-school care programs. CACFP provides reimbursement for food and meal preparation costs as well as training and technical assistance. CACFP is a federal program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, and is administered in Vermont by the Department of Education.
Benefits
CACFP plays a vital role in creating and maintaining quality, affordable care for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children. Through the program, children not only have healthy meals on a regular basis, but also learn how to enjoy new foods, develop social skills, and learn habits that set them on track for a lifetime of healthy eating.
Participation
In Vermont, less than 17 percent of childcare centers and less than half of registered childcare homes are enrolled in CACFP. Vermont currently ranks 49 th among the States for center participation! We are committed to working with providers across the state to give them the information and opportunity to enroll in this crucial nutrition program so that the children in their care are fed healthy meals on a regular basis.
Our goal is to increase access to this program and provide healthy meals to approximately 14,000 children in childcare across the state.
For more information, email Portia Cornell, Nutrition Program Outreach & Policy Specialist. We can give you additional information about the program, help you determine if you are eligible, and help you begin the application process for CACFP.
If you are the director of a child care center and are ready to apply, contact Laurie Colgan at the Vermont Department of Education at (802) 828-5153 or (802) 828-2447, or email Laurie.Colgan@state.vt.us. |
