Celebrating 40 Years of Impact at NCNC26
NCA leaders brought the CACFP story to Las Vegas radio ahead of the 40th annual National Child Nutrition Conference.
April 1, 2026
This past Sunday, NCA President Alexia Thex and Board Chair Alix Pasillas joined Beasley Media Group's "Community Matters" program on Las Vegas radio for a conversation about the families CACFP serves, the providers who show up for them every day and what 40 years of community looks like.
The full segment is available to listen here. Whether you're new to this work or have been in the CACFP community for decades, it's an inspiring reminder of why this program matters and who it's for.
More Than a Meal
The CACFP serves 4.4 million children and adults every day, in every state across the country. For many, the meals they receive through a CACFP-participating program are the most nutritious meals of their day.
As Alexia noted during the segment, food insecurity and limited childcare access are challenges too many families know firsthand. CACFP provides the resources providers need to keep their doors open and maintain the nutritional standards that working families count on. NCA supports them every step of the way with training, advocacy and community.
Alix Pasillas has led Food For Kids in Nevada for more than two decades. She described CACFP as the backbone of her organization's work: the reimbursements help providers stay viable and the nutritional standards raise the quality of every meal served. And through NCA, providers don't do that work alone. They're part of a network of peers across the country who understand this work because they're living it too.
A Milestone Worth Marking Together
That's the community NCNC26 is built around. 2026 marks four decades of NCA supporting the CACFP community, and the 40th Annual National Child Nutrition Conference comes to Las Vegas on April 13-17 at the Westgate Resort and Casino.
NCA will bring together more than 1,500 child nutrition professionals from all 50 states for hands-on training, policy updates and time with colleagues who get it. It's the largest gathering of CACFP professionals in the country.
Alix also reflected on what keeps her coming back to conferences after more than two decades in this work: new things to learn, fresh ideas to bring home and dialogue with a community of peers who are solving the same problems from every corner of the country.
Your Community is Waiting
Whether you're a sponsor, a provider, a parent or simply someone who cares about healthy kids and strong communities, there's a place for you in this conversation.
The conference is just weeks away. If you've been thinking about joining us, now is the time. Register for NCNC26 at cacfp.org/conference.