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Basic page Area Eligibility Mapper for CACFP and Summer Meals

This map displays census data and can be used for tiering of participating CACFP day care homes and eligibility of SFSP summer sites.

10/03/2024
Resource | Policy Q&As Related to CACFP 11-2021, SFSP 07-2021 Collection of Race and Ethnicity Data by Visual Observation and Identification in the CACFP and SFSP – Policy Rescission – Set 2

This guidance is intended to assist state agencies and program operators of the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program in meeting the longstanding federal requirement to collect race and ethnicity data of program participants.

08/28/2024
Resource | Policy Notice to Beneficiaries and Prospective Beneficiaries

USDA and eight other federal agencies recently published a final rule entitled, Partnerships With Faith-Based and Neighborhood Organizations at 89 FR 15671 (final rule). The final rule amended USDA regulations at 7 CFR part 16 related to equal opportunity for faith-based organizations that operate USDA programs and religious protections for USDA program beneficiaries.

07/01/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (2024-2025)

This notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals, free milk, and Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits for the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. 

02/20/2024
Resource | Forms Meal Benefit Income Eligibility Form

Instructions for Child and Adult Care Food Program Centers, Sponsoring Organizations and Family Day Care Home Providers

10/04/2022
Resource | Report to Congress | Food Security USDA Nutrition Education Coordination Report to Congress, FY 2021

USDA's nutrition assistance programs touch the lives of one in four American consumers annually and the nutrition education efforts associated with select programs offer a powerful opportunity to promote food security and improve dietary quality among eligible individuals and families.

08/25/2022
Resource | Policy Memos Questions and Answers Regarding the 2022 Infant Formula Shortage in the CACFP

The ongoing infant formula shortage due to supply chain issues, which worsened due to a major formula recall in February 2022, has left many CACFP operators concerned about access to formula and their options for safely feeding infants in their care.  

 

06/17/2022
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings in USDA’s CACFP

Centers and family daycare homes participating in CACFP play an important role in supporting the health and wellness of the children they serve. The Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings  is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the CACFP. Data were collected in program year 2016–17 from CACFP providers and participating children on nutritional quality of meals served, nutrient intake of participating children, meal costs and revenues, and more. Findings serve as an important baseline for the subsequent updates to the meal pattern and nutrition standards, which were implemented in October 2017. 

10/25/2021
Basic page About Area Eligibility

The Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) allows the use of school data to establish area eligibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program. The NSLA also allows the use of census data to establish tier I eligibility for CACFP day care homes and area eligibility for SFSP sites.

09/30/2021
Resource | Policy Memos Automatic Eligibility for Early Head Start Participants

This memorandum supplements the guidance issued on May 16, 2008, concerning automatic eligibility for free meals for any child who is enrolled in Head Start.

08/05/2008
Page updated: October 14, 2021