CACFP week is a time to celebrate and elevate the program's impact on children and adults in care settings. It's also time to celebrate the people making it happen and progress we're making in policy.
Celebrating CACFP Impact
There are, on average, over 1 billion meals served in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) a year - yes, that's BILLION with a B!
Over 4 million children and adults throughout the nation receive nutritious meals by way of the Food Program.
The CACFP helps working parents by making child care more affordable and relieving the pressure of providing daily meals to their children.
School-age children in high-need areas can receive meals - even a supper - in eligible at-risk afterschool programs because of CACFP.
CACFP improves food security for households enrolled in the child care programs.
Quality of care and meals are of higher quality when programs are on the food program.
Celebrating the People
The people that make this program successful in serving over a billion meals to children and adults who need them most run the gamut. People plan the menus, track (endless) paperwork, make the meals, deliver the meals, make sure the menus/recipes meet USDA regulations and so much more. This takes shape in family child care homes differently than it does in child care centers or at-risk afterschool programs or adult programs.
At the end of the day, no matter which type of program the meal is served in, children and adults receive and eat meals together - with peers - and talk, and learn, and laugh. They have a nutritious meal - together.
Thank you to the care providers, administrators, the facilitators, the meal preppers, the servers, the advocates, the state agencies, USDA regional offices, and USDA FNS and every person who touches CACFP for making the impact you make on the nation's well-being.
Celebrating Progress
Congress has introduced three bills to improve CACFP. The bills have pivotal provisions in them including the elimination of tiering, an additional 10 cents per meal, and an additional meal. This is big progress. People in Congress, with the introduction of these bills, are saying CACFP is important and needs investment - the providers need investment - you need investment.
We have work to do and we'll do it together to thank the Congress people who introduced these bills, those who support them, and educate those who don't quite understand - yet.
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