Child and Adult Day Care Food Program
What is the Child Care Food Program?
The Child Care Food Program is a federally funded program
that gives financial aid to licensed child care centers and
day care homes. The purpose of the program is to encourage
child care centers, outside school hours programs, and day
care homes to provide more nutritious meals to children twelve
years of age and under in nonresidential day care settings.
The objectives of the program are to
- improve the diets of children under 13 years of age by
providing the children with nutritious, well-balanced meals
and
- develop good eating habits in children that will last
through later years.
Who qualifies for participation in the program?
Any public or private nonprofit institution providing nonresidential
day care may be eligible to participate. The following requirements
are also necessary:
- Federal, state, or local government licensing or approval,
- Tax-exempt status - Federal and State, and
- Provide organized child care.
Examples of eligible institutions include:
- Child care centers,
- Sponsored day care homes,
- Infant centers,
- Preschool centers,
- Head Start centers,
- Even Start centers, and
- Outside-school hours care centers.
Children under 13 years of age, regardless of race, color,
national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, or political
beliefs, may be served by the program, including the following:
- Infants,
- Preschool children,
- School-age children,
- Enrollees of any age who are disabled, if the majority
of enrollees are under 19 years of age,
- Migrant workers (children under 16 of age),
- Children enrolled in after-school extended care centers,
and
- At-Risk after school children under 19 years of age.
How are sponsors reimbursed for meals?
- State meal reimbursement,
- Federal reimbursement for the number of breakfasts, lunches,
suppers, and supplements served to enrolled children,
- Commodity (donated) foods or cash in lieu of commodities,
- Technical assistance for food service operation, program
management, and recordkeeping,
- One time startup funds (day care homes only), or
- Cash advance.
What are the meal nutrition requirements?
The type and amounts of food served to children must meet
the USDA minimum meal requirements and the established guidelines
on the Meal Chart for children
ages 1 through 12 with the Grains/Bread Requirements,
and the Infant Meal
Pattern Chart. Eligible sponsors of child care centers
and family day care homes can receive reimbursement (Centers)
(Homes) for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks served to
enrolled children. The maximum number of meals claimable in
the Child and Adult Care Food Program for each enrolled child
per day are two meals and one snack OR one meal and two snacks.
What are the sponsor’s responsibilities for administering
the program?
Administrative responsibilities for the program include:
- Facility license,
- Enrollment form signed by parent,
- Daily menus, including quantity served
- Daily attendance,
- Number of meals, by type (breakfast, lunch, supper, or
supplements), served to enrolled children each day,
- Verification of children's eligibility category,
- Civil rights data, and
- Internal Control system.
How can you apply to become a sponsor?
To apply to be a new sponsor in the Child Care Food Program,
applicants must apply through the Illinois State Board of
Education, Nutrition Programs; contact
us at CNP@isbe.net or 1-800-545-7892.
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