Every March is National Nutrition Month and within that month CACFP Week! A very exciting time for our community. It is a time in which the public and policymakers are engaged and talking about both the importance of nutrition for children and adults and how CACFP is a vehicle to make that happen. It is also a time for our CACFP community to reflect on the hard work you do whether you support those serving meals or the person actually preparing and serving those meals.
Grasp the Opportunity
Now is the perfect time to amplify the impact of the food program on your communities. We can also leverage this time to not only talk about what works in the program but also the support you need to provide meals to your communities through the CACFP.
CACFP is more than an acronym that is hard to say - it provides access to much-needed meals. We want to make it come alive! Let me tell you a couple of easy ways of the ways you can do this - ways we can do this together.
1) NATIONWIDE - Be a part of the CACFP Kid Ambassador Campaign. Grab your mobile phone! Imagine it, children talking about the meals that are served by you. Giving voice to those directly impacted by CACFP - helping state leaders, USDA and policymakers hear the value of the meals you serve. What about the value to parents or adults or those in emergency shelters? We want video clips from everyone! Get ideas and learn more here.
2) CALIFORNIA - We are RIGHT NOW in the process of working with the state legislature to ensure free meals for children in child care - Food With Care. What does this mean for child care providers? CACFP participants would get reimbursed at the highest federal reimbursement rate. ALL family child care providers would be paid at the tier one rate and centers would be paid at the free rate for meals served. Engage in the advocacy for this! Tell your story, provide a quote in support, tell us you want to testify in front of the state legislature, be a social media influencer, and/or help us rally the community! Click here to tell us how you want to engage with Food with Care!
National Nutrition Month and CACFP Week Resources
The CACFP Roundtable is committed to fostering a community of leaders who work together to build equitable access to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and nutritious meals in care settings. Your support goes toward programs and advocacy that help us get closer to ensuring everyone has the right to nutritious meals and making the CACFP an even better Food Program for all.
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