1. What is the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)?

CACFP is a Federal program that provides reimbursement for healthy meals and snacks to children and adults receiving day care. It plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families.

CACFP provides reimbursement to participating day care homes, centers and relative caregivers for meals served to participants in their care. The reimbursement is to off set your cost involved with serving nutritious meals. It is administered at the Federal level by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Department of Education administers the CACFP in Delaware.

2. Who is eligible to participate?

Licensed Day Care Providers and Relative Caregivers who have completed the 45 hours of Relative Care Training and have received your completion certificate, are active and in good standing with the Division of Social Services/Purchase of Care Program; have completed your Self Assessment Form and provide meals and snacks to up to five relative children/adults receiving nonresidential day care in state licensed or approved private homes.

3. How do I join?

As a Licensed Day Care Provider/Relative Caregiver you must sign an agreement with a sponsoring organization to participate in the CACFP. The sponsoring organization provides you training, conducts monitoring visits, helps with planning menus and filling out reimbursement forms. A listing of our sponsors has been provided on the last page for you.

4. How much does it cost to join?

It is FREE.

5. Are there income guidelines for you to participate?

NO, but, in order to claim your own children, you will need to supply income documentation.

6. Who gets CACFP meals and snacks?

Enrolled children/adults to include infants, are eligible to receive up to two meals and one snack each day through the CACFP. Migrant children age 15 and younger, and persons with disabilities, regardless of their age, are also eligible for CACFP.

7. What do you have to do to participate?

a. Call a sponsor from the listing to make a sign-up appointment in your home at your convenience.
b. Serve meals that meet the USDA guidelines (examples provided).
c. Keep accurate daily records of:

1. the children present;
2. the number of meals served; and
3. a menu of what was served.

d. Mail forms to the sponsor at the end of the month.
e. Attend one CACFP training session per year (at no cost to you).
f. Allow CACFP program staff to visit three times per year.

8. What do you receive by participating?

a. Monthly Cash Reimbursement for meals served to each child that meets USDA guidelines. The limit for meals reimbursed per day is three per child. One of the meals must be a snack. You will be able to continue serving nutritious meals and snacks despite rising food costs.
b. Technical Assistance – recordkeeping, menu planning, creditable foods.
c. Free Nutrition Information and Training.
d. Monthly Feedback regarding your claim.
e. Forms that provide carbonless copies for your records.

9. When can you start?

Licensed Day Care providers are eligible once they receive their State of Delaware Child Care License and Relative Care Providers are eligible as soon as they complete the 45 hours of Relative Care Training and receive their Completion Certificate, and is in good standing with the Division of Social Services/Purchase of Care Program and have been assigned a site ID number. You must have at least one child to care for other than your own and have participated in the CACFP in-home training and signed an agreement with one of the CACFP sponsor’s.

10. How much money is reimbursed for each meal per child?

Relative Caregivers, participating in CACFP, cannot charge separate fees for meals. Your reimbursement will vary depending on several things. Higher payments (Tier I) are paid to homes in low-income areas and to low-income providers. Meals and snacks served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals in some Tier II homes, may also receive higher rates of reimbursement. As of July 1, 2009, Tier I and Tier II rates are:

Funding for this program is provided by the Delaware Department of Education, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability and retaliation. If you require the information on this poster in alternative format (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), contact the USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (Voice or TDD). If you require information about this program, activity, or facility in a language other than English, contact the USDA agency responsible for the program or activity, or any USDA office. To file a complaint alleging discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call, toll free, (866) 632-9992 (Voice). TDD users can contact USDA through local relay or the Federal Relay at (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (relay voice users). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.