Skip to content

2022 National Child Nutrition Conference

April 18-22 2022 | New Orleans, Louisiana

CACFP · Afterschool Meals · Summer Food

Preconference Training Academy

Preconference trainings are four-hour, deep-dive sessions in a classroom-style setting. Pre-registration is required. Enrollment fees are $79 | $109 | $139 | $169 based on registration dates.

Monday, April 18 | 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

CACFP 101: Homes and Centers
New to the Child and Adult Care Food Program? Learn the basics of CACFP from experienced sponsor operators and USDA’s Nutrition Promotion and Technical Assistance staff. This 10 course will cover program administration, program operations, nutrition, financial management, nonprofit management and civil rights as required to operate a CACFP sponsoring organization.

Presented by:

Blake Stanford, CMP, Southwest Human Development
Vicki Lipscomb, CMP, Child Nutrition Program
Kate Abernathy, MS, RDN, CMP, CCNP, Providers Choice

Up and Moving! Increasing Physical Activity in ECE Settings
Let’s get children up and moving! Take a deep dive into the best practices for physical activity, then look at the importance of goal setting and action planning to support policy changes at your early care and education setting. You will be able to use knowledge gained to create an action plan that helps you teach the importance of physical activity and ultimately develops positive habits with children, families and the community.

Presented by:

Rebekah Duchette, BSN, RN, Nemours Children’s Health System
Tracy Cheney, MEd, Dr. Day Care
Georgia Thompson, MHS, Nemours Children's Health System

Show Me the Money: Getting Through the Budget Approvals Process
This training is a 101-level overview of the generally accepted source documentation to support allowable costs for CACFP operations. Learn about best practices for determining if proposed program costs are necessary, reasonable, and allowable. Discover the impact the management plan has on the budget; what constitutes a related party transaction; and who has the burden of proof for ensuring proposed costs are necessary, reasonable, and allowable. Training will include group activities, discussion on proposed program costs that are often questioned, and tools to assist with avoiding common budget submission mistakes.

Presented by:

Cherese Myree, CFE, MH Miles Company, CPA, PC
Monica Miles, CPA, CFE, MH Miles Company, CPA, PC

Summer Food: Planning, Participation, Policy & Partnering for Success
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is an important tool for addressing the nutrition gap low-income children face when the school year ends. Success depends on collaboration, proactive planning and partnerships. Whether you are a CACFP sponsor operating SFSP for the first time or a year-round sponsor looking to expand your current operations, come learn what you need to know and leave with practical resources and a concrete plan to reach more children with nutritious meals during the summer months.

Presented by:

Crystal FitzSimons, MSW, Food Research and Action Center
Alice McKenney, MS, USDA Food and Nutrition Service
John Dupre, Louisiana Department of Education

Tuesday, April 19 | 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

Head Start: From the Kitchen to the Classroom
Head Start sites have been practicing family style-meal service for years. Come learn classroom activities and knowledge you can share with your center staff. Together, attendees will learn to scale recipes to accommodate the number of children in your program. Discover new ways to collect in-kind dollars by engaging your parents in participating in the classroom during snack time, Parent Family Community Engagement (PFCE Framework). Participate in an open Q&A with our panel on waivers, CACFP Meal Patterns, PFCE Framework, and any other questions you may have.

Presented by:

Rhonda Kobylecky, CCNP, CMP, Acelero Learning
Sheila Tompkins-Hess, Division of Child & Family Services
Shauna Payne, Tallatoona Community Action Partnership
Stephanie Manchester, CCNP, CMP, Acelero Learning Monmouth/Middlesex

Menu Planning for the CACFP
Develop meal planning techniques that can be used to serve healthy and appealing meals and snacks that meet CACFP and preschool meal pattern requirements. Learn how to accommodate food allergies, incorporate multi-cultural recipes and locally-sourced foods, develop strategies for creating custom menus, and go home with menus you can use immediately or as inspiration.

Presented by: Susan Ison, CMP, Helping Hands, Inc.
Katie Chatfield, RDN, MPH, Providers Choice
Melinda Nguyen, LD, MS, RDN, Texas Department of Agriculture

CACFP 101: Afterschool Meals
Only 1 in 10 children who qualify for afterschool and out-of-school time meals are receiving them. The CACFP offers a solution to this nationwide problem. Learn the basics of CACFP Afterschool and hear from a panel who are already implementing the program successfully at their sites. Discover how you can sponsor the program or work with a sponsor to serve children who are at-risk. Don’t send kids home hungry.

Presented by:

Kati Wagner, CCNP, CMP, Wildwood CACFP
Melissa Moore, CCNP, Family League of Baltimore
Shea Smith, MA, Three O'Clock Project

Demystifying Procurement in the CACFP
Procurement is designed to ensure your protection as a program provider. We will review federal regulations governing procurement and work through incorporating beneficial purchasing practices. Attendees will walk through executing a formal procurement contract, beginning with a needs assessment, conducting a contract evaluation and even observing the preparation of creditable snacks that have been locally sourced.

Presented by: LaMonika Jones, MEd, GCPA, DC Hunger Solutions

Motivation, Communication and Training: Lessons from the Wizards
Come on an Oz-mazing journey to learn, experience and practice invigorating techniques to empower yourself and your employees. Bring your heart, brain and courage to explore ways to influence your staff with training, motivation and communication. While documentation, compliance and menu appeal pave the yellow brick road, the biggest way to have more success over the CACFP rainbow is through inspiring your employees.

Presented by:

Carolyn Miller, CMP, CCNP, ESC 11
Amanda Tucker, CMP, CCNP, TITAN-LINQ