When two entities focus on a common mission, anything is possible. The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) sees its mission align with the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) without a hint of deviation: To ensure those serving children are provided with the resources needed to help them sprout to unimaginable heights.
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Can CACFP funds be used for supplies for an edible garden?
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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Today, October 1, 2024, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced $200 million for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC).
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CACFP advocacy is central to the mission of National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) and NCA is continuously working to support and advocate for you! This year, we’ve ramped up our advocacy work to help raise awareness and expand and improve the CACFP.
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During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Keep Kids Fed Act provided flexibilities that were critical for the ability to continue to provide nutritious meals and maintain operation of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
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When two entities focus on a common mission, anything is possible. The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) sees its mission align with the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children (TXAEYC) without a hint of deviation: To ensure those serving children are provided with the resources needed to help them sprout to unimaginable heights.
Read More
Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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As the cross-section of nutrition education and early childhood education continues to expand in its ever-growing research, efficiencies, policies, practices, operations, and, primarily, its programs, the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) continues to solidify its footprint as a leading educator on the subject at the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Conference Expo (FNCE) 2024.
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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Check out these virtual events coming up this month at NCA!
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NCA achieved recognition as a gold level MyPlate Partner for continued work on developing and promoting resources that promote the unified vision of providing nutrition education.
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USDA released a memorandum that provides updated guidance on the geographic preference option to reflect changes made by the final rule.
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Since 2019, Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) and Nemours Children’s Health have partnered to create geographic information system (GIS) technology story maps to visualize CACFP participation and highlight communities that could be considered for CACFP expansion.
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During the entire month of August, every congressional elected official will be back in their home state or district. Don’t miss this opportunity to advocate for CACFP! Showcasing your program is one of the most impactful ways to advocate for the CACFP.
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Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule codified the requirement for an annual reconciliation of bank account activity and accounting of reported actual expenditures with Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) payments. This memorandum provides a summary of each provision and instructions for how to complete the annual verification of bank account activity and actual expenditures.
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This memorandum provides a detailed explanation of the expanded geographic preference option. CNP operators, State agencies purchasing for CNPs, and the USDA Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (USDA DoD Fresh) may use local as a specification and continue to set a geographic preference when soliciting or buying unprocessed agricultural products.
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program has new creditable foods listed on the USDA Food Buying Guide! If you are new to the FBG, this interactive tool allows for easy display, search, and navigation of food yield information. In addition, users can compare yield information, create a favorite foods list, and access tools, such as the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) and the Product Formulation Statement Workbook.
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program community asked for more Spanish resources to be available on the National CACFP Sponsors Association website and we heard you! Available now in Spanish are more resources to help sponsors and providers with meal pattern requirements, best practices, and so much more!
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Serving meals to young people year-round benefits children, families, and care providers. To do this, many providers transition from operating the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) during the school year to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) while school is out. For an overview of the main differences between SFSP and CACFP ARAS, see the comparison chart below.
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NCA understands that the end of flexibilities will cause challenges for many CACFP sponsors and providers and we commend your continued commitment to providing nutritious meals and snacks to the children or adults in your care. In preparation for the end of the additional reimbursement, we have collected the following resources to help you successfully provide meals even if your available budget decreases.
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The Exhibit A Grains Tool has a new feature that allows users to select their Program and Meal to filter the search results to only creditable grain items for their specific Program.
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CDC created three new fact sheets for Early Care and Education (ECE) providers about Early Child Nutrition and Feeding. The fact sheets offer tips and best practices for supporting breastfeeding families, information about safe storage and handling of breastmilk, and strategies for introducing solid foods.
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Can CACFP funds be used for supplies for an edible garden?
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Where can local foods be sourced to serve in the CACFP?
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Does rhubarb credit as a fruit or a vegetable in the CACFP?
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How do you know if a CN Label is still valid?
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How can cross-contact be prevented when serving participants with allergies?
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What is cross-contact?
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The Child and Adult Care Food Program has new creditable foods listed on the USDA Food Buying Guide! If you are new to the FBG, this interactive tool allows for easy display, search, and navigation of food yield information. In addition, users can compare yield information, create a favorite foods list, and access tools, such as the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) and the Product Formulation Statement Workbook.
Read More
The Child and Adult Care Food Program community asked for more Spanish resources to be available on the National CACFP Sponsors Association website and we heard you! Available now in Spanish are more resources to help sponsors and providers with meal pattern requirements, best practices, and so much more!
Read More
Serving meals to young people year-round benefits children, families, and care providers. To do this, many providers transition from operating the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) during the school year to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) while school is out. For an overview of the main differences between SFSP and CACFP ARAS, see the comparison chart below.
Read More
NCA understands that the end of flexibilities will cause challenges for many CACFP sponsors and providers and we commend your continued commitment to providing nutritious meals and snacks to the children or adults in your care. In preparation for the end of the additional reimbursement, we have collected the following resources to help you successfully provide meals even if your available budget decreases.
Read More
The Exhibit A Grains Tool has a new feature that allows users to select their Program and Meal to filter the search results to only creditable grain items for their specific Program.
Read More
CDC created three new fact sheets for Early Care and Education (ECE) providers about Early Child Nutrition and Feeding. The fact sheets offer tips and best practices for supporting breastfeeding families, information about safe storage and handling of breastmilk, and strategies for introducing solid foods.
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FRAC’s latest report, Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report 2024, reveals a drop in the number of children receiving nutrition over the summer following the loss of pandemic-era waivers.
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A report published in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice examined changes in nutrition and physical activity-related best practices in ECE settings in Illinois from 2019 as compared to 2022.
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The “USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Family Day Care Home Participation Study” focuses on current and former CACFP participants among FDCH providers. These providers serve a critical need within the child care system, frequently offering longer hours of care (often at a lower cost) than other types of providers to children in their own communities and neighborhoods. This study is the first national study to ask former providers why they left. The study spans 2019–2023, which coincides with the COVID-19 public health emergency, so it provides a unique look at FDCHs during that time.
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The “USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program Participation Among U.S. Childcare Providers” examines the characteristics of childcare centers and day care home providers by whether they participated in CACFP or not.
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Across the nation, racial inequities have impacted access to federal nutrition programs for people of color. The report by D.C. Hunger Solutions aims to address how racial inequities contribute to hunger and poverty among residents of color in the District of Columbia and to lack of access to federal nutrition programs.
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When combined, the CACFP and Farm to Early Care Education (Farm to ECE) activities can have an extraordinary impact on children, child care providers, and local communities. FRAC’s report aims to support child care providers to access CACFP and utilize it for eligible Farm to ECE activities by highlighting the mutually beneficial synergy between these initiatives.
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The CACFP is operated any many different settings, including child care, adult care, and emergency shelters. The CACFP also has an At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) component that allows sites to serve children and teenagers 18 and under up to one snack and a supper. Not only are eligible sites able to serve meals after the school day, but they can also provide a meal and snack on weekends and during school closures.
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Congressman Marc Molinaro visited Jessica’s Daycare in his home district (NY-19) to witness child care and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) firsthand.
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Hear from three outstanding CACFP sponsoring organizations about the work that they do with CACFP providers to ensure the children and adults in their care receive nutritious meals.
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Lana Taylor is the Executive Director of Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs (BGCIN) that represents all Boys & Girls Club organizations across Indiana. Hear from Lana!
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Susan Ison is the Executive Director of Helping Hands, Inc. which is a sponsoring organization (sponsor) of family child care homes and child care centers across the Wasatch Front of Utah. They sponsor about 200 family child care homes and 12 child care centers, ensuring nutritious meals for around 2,300 children.
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Deborah Gillison-Wilson is the Founder and Executive Director of Georgia Nutritional Services which is a sponsoring organization of CACFP and SFSP across Georgia. They sponsor 165 child care centers, 32 family child care homes, 35 At-Risk Afterschool programs, 2 Adult day care centers, and around 17 SFSP sites. Hear from Deborah!
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NCA Response – Proposed Rule for the Serious Deficiency Process
In February 2024, USDA released the proposed rule Serious Deficiency Process in the CACFP and SFSP. After meeting with members and extensive research NCA has submitted our response to USDA stating our position on the proposed changes.
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