Sponsor Spotlight: Rebecca Phillips of Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation
Sponsor of Family Child Care Homes and Head Start
April 6, 2026
Rebecca Phillips is the CACFP Coordinator for Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC). As a community action nonprofit, NEICAC provides services to support people through all stages of life, including programs such as Family Services, Crisis Program and Food Pantries, Head Start and Early Head Start, LIHEAP, Weatherization, Affordable Housing, Rural Public Transit, Family Development and Self Sufficiency, Thrive Initiative, and of course, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). As a CACFP sponsor, NEICAC supports 35 family child care homes and 10 Head Start classrooms across seven counties in Northeast Iowa. Collectively, these child care programs serve over 700 children.
Rebecca has been with NEICAC since 2013 but didn’t transition into her current role as CACFP Coordinator until 2023 when her predecessor retired. She saw the position as an opportunity to play a larger, direct role in an integral program within her organization that helps those in the community. Rebecca gets to work directly with child care providers and the children they serve.
When Rebecca began working directly with the CACFP, she was not familiar with all the rules and regulations. Rebecca dove headfirst into the program, learning what she could on her own, but she also connected with her fellow Sponsors in Iowa for help and guidance. Networking with other Sponsors had a very positive and influential impact on Rebecca and she continues to connect with them for idea sharing, support and collaboration.
As Rebecca took over from her predecessor, she also had to build new relationships with the providers who were familiar with a different person for so many years. It was a fairly smooth transition for the Head Start classrooms, as they are affiliated programs within NEICAC and were familiar with Rebecca.
“The agency has Head Start programs, so the CACFP goes hand in hand with Head Start. We help ensure that our Head Start children are receiving the nutritious meals, giving them the proper guidance and opportunities to explore food, and helping them make healthy choices. We’re making sure that five days a week, during the school year, they’re getting those healthy nutritious meals that are going to help them grow.”
With their family home providers, it took more time to gain trust and build strong connections. She began their relationship with transparency about her knowledge of the CACFP and with an open mind. She also made sure that her family home providers felt supported and had all of the resources they needed to succeed.
“The big thing with home providers is building a good working relationship. I truly feel that it’s important that they know that we are here to support them, provide guidance and help them succeed as a child care provider.”
After three years in her role, she has built great relationships with her providers, as well as the children they care for. Rebecca visits each home three times a year, and some children now recognize her as ‘the food lady’ when she comes to visit. Along with her oversight requirements, Rebecca tries to take time during her visits to connect with the children, whether through story time or a fun matching game. Having this rapport with the children also helps to put the provider at ease during the visit.
“If I’m there and I have extra time while the provider is maybe cleaning up, we can sit at a table and do a match game. During the last visit, all child care homes got a book called Sophia’s Squash, so we read that. For me it’s those little things that make a difference. It’s a rewarding thing knowing that you’re building a positive relationship both with the provider and the kids.”
During her visits, Rebecca can see the benefits of the program in real time. The children share their experiences with eating more fruits and vegetables and are enthusiastic about trying new foods. Behind the scenes, Rebecca also recognizes how the CACFP provides financial support for providers, in addition to the invaluable training and resources it provides.
Rebecca remains committed to the providers she sponsors and continues to advocate for them on all levels. From the first day she started, Rebecca heard from family home providers about how they often feel overlooked when it comes to State and Federal assistance. Through her advocacy, Rebecca works to uplift family home providers and support them as best as she can.
“It takes a special type of person to be a daycare provider, and we all need to help support them because their presence and availability in our communities is such an important asset.”
In Iowa, Rebecca has worked for Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation since 2013.