Sponsor Spotlight: Denise Andrews of For the Children, Inc.
Sponsor of Family Child Care Homes
March 3, 2025
Denise Andrews is CEO and Director of For the Children, Inc. which is a sponsoring organization (sponsor) of family child care homes in Oklahoma. For the Children sponsors over 90 family child care homes that serve nutritious meals to 925 children each day.
Denise grew up in Oklahoma during a difficult economic period and relied on school lunches as a crucial source of food. Her first-hand experience with food insecurity instilled in her an appreciation for nutrition and a passion for ensuring that no child goes hungry.
“Growing up in poverty, I relied on school lunches as a crucial source of nutrition. This experience ignited a deep-seated passion within me to ensure that no child faces hunger.”
Since 1989, Denise has been dedicated to working with the CACFP. Denise began as a family child care home provider serving nutritious meals through the CACFP. It was one of her CACFP monitors that encouraged her to work for a sponsoring organization as a monitor herself. In 2000, Denise decided to create her own sponsorship and that’s when For the Children was founded.
“Since 1989, I’ve been dedicated to the CACFP by starting my own daycare home as a provider. Over the past 36 years I have transitioned into roles such as the CACFP monitor and eventually being a co-CEO to my own sponsorship.”
The mission of For the Children is to ensure that children receive nutritious meals while they participate in the CACFP. As a staff of three, For the Children is dedicated to building strong relationships with their providers, and that’s why Denise believes they are a successful sponsor. There are some family child care home providers that have been with For the Children since its inception, and a few may have stuck with Denise since she was a monitor at a different sponsoring organization. Not only does For the Children try to make their providers feel safe, but they are continuously improving their own work and making sure that they and their providers are compliant. The top tip Denise would offer another sponsor is to build strong relationships with providers, participants, and your State agency.
Denise is motivated to continue her work with the CACFP because she knows the lasting impact that it can have on providers and the children they serve. Denise and her organization believe that all children should have access to nutritious meals, regardless of income level. The nutritious meals served through the CACFP support essential growth, development and overall well-being, while also alleviating food insecurities.
“It doesn’t matter if the child is rich or comes from a poor family, nutritious meals aren’t always being served. At least when they are at daycare we know they’re getting a good meal. It’s the one time we can ensure that they are getting something balanced.”
For the Children is consistently working to educate others about the CACFP. They are currently working on expanding their outreach program, introducing new educational resources, and exploring partnerships to enhance community support and knowledge of the program. In fact, they are being spotlighted in their local newspaper and have a press release that will be included in a newspaper for a larger area. For the Children is working to raise awareness of the CACFP to help combat food insecurity in their community.
In Oklahoma, Denise founded and has worked for For the Children, Inc. since 2000.