Program Information

Benefits The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a well-documented success. Studies have shown that children in CACFP receive meals that are nutritionally superior to those served to children in childcare settings without CACFP. Children in participating institutions have higher intakes of key nutrients and fewer servings of fats and sweets than children in non-participating care. Research cites participation in CACFP as one of the major factors influencing quality care, reporting that 87 percent of the family child care homes considered to be providing quality childcare participated in CACFP.

Eligibility

To be eligible for participation in CACFP, a sponsor must be a licensed or approved childcare provider or a public or nonprofit private school, which provides organized childcare programs for school children during off-school hours. Any child up to age 12 (or adults attending a participating adult day care facility) is entitled to meals. Programs eligible for participation include non-residential child or adult care institutions such as group or family childcare, child or adult care centers, Head Start, recreation centers, settlement houses and after school programs. For more information on Vermont’s CACFP, visit the Vermont Department of Education's Child Nutrition Program website.

Reimbursement

Participating programs are required to provide meals and snacks according to the nutrition standards set by the USDA. The reimbursement rates vary based on the type of meal (lunches have a higher reimbursement rate than snacks) and the type of institution: centers have a three-tiered and homes have a two-tiered reimbursement rate structure. At-risk, after-school programs and homeless, domestic violence and runaway shelters are assumed to be serving low-income children and are reimbursed at the highest rate.