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CACFP Today

USDA Published New and Extended Waivers for CACFP!

4/20/2021

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USDA has announced a new "suite of waivers" to ensure children have access to nutritious meals as the nations recovers from the pandemic. Many will look familiar BUT there are some additional flexibilities in this round. Here are a couple highlighted:

Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the Afterschool Programs and for Family Day Care Home Providers in School Year 2021-2022: This waiver allows all day care homes, regardless of their location, to receive the Tier 1 reimbursement rate for all meals and snacks. This will be effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the Afterschool Programs and for Family Day Care Home Providers in School Year 2021-2022: This waiver allows flexibilities so the full implementation of grains ounce equivalents will be extended beyond October 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022.

Here are the links to the CACFP waivers:
  • Nationwide Waiver to Allow Specific Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for School Year 2021-2022
  • Nationwide Waiver to Allow Non-Congregate Meal Service for School Year 2021-2022
  • ​Nationwide Waiver of Meal Time Requirements for School Year 2021-2022
  • Nationwide Waiver to Allow Parents and Guardians to Pick Up Meals for Children for School Year 2021-2022
  • ​Nationwide Waiver to Allow Specific Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Child and Adult Care Food Program for School Year 2021-2022
  • Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for State Agencies in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – EXTENSION
  • Nationwide Waiver of Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors in the Child and Adult Care Food Program – EXTENSION
Click here for all of the waivers announced today!

​Note: As with most of these nationwide waivers during the pandemic, the states have to opt in.

Cross-post with CACFP Roundtable: https://www.ccfproundtable.org/post/usda-publishes-new-and-extended-waivers-for-cacfp

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Take Action Today! Sign On In Support of New CACFP Bill

4/18/2021

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Early next week Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) plans to reintroduce the Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act. Fact sheet about the Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act.

Take action: Sign on in support of this bill here.

Why it matters:
This bill is part of Congress's Child Nutrition Reauthorization process, which hasn't happened in over 10 years! The Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act is the bill CACFP has been waiting for. It includes policy improvements for the entire program, including:
  • Additional meal service (typically snack or supper) for full day care
  • Increased reimbursements
  • ​Annual eligibility for proprietary (for-profit) child care centers
  • Improved area eligibility test
  • ​Funds to support implementation of the new meal pattern
  • Creates a CEP pilot for CACFP
  • ​Improves cost of living adjustment for child care homes
  • Allows centers to collect income applications every four years
  • ​Directs USDA to reduce paperwork
Spread the word: Don't forget to share your support for the Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act on your social media accounts. Sample tweet:
1 in 4 children in the U.S. faces hunger because of the pandemic. Now is the time to make improvements to #CACFP to help our kids get healthier, not hungrier. Join us in supporting @SenBobCasey #ChildNutrition bill. https://bit.ly/32qnrcl

Strengthening #CACFP to support #childcare providers as they provide nutritious foods to young children is a no brainer. Join us in supporting @SenBobCasey #ChildNutrition bill. https://bit.ly/32qnrcl

@SenBobCasey introduced a #ChildNutrition bill that strengthens #CACFP in a myriad of ways: allowing an additional meal, increased meal reimbursements and more! Join us in supporting @SenBobCasey #ChildNutrition bill. https://bit.ly/32qnrcl
​

Join our partners at the CACFP Roundtable in telling your stories.  
Share your CACFP & COVID-19 stories and/or lessons learned as we continue to advocate for sponsors, providers and the children and adults served by #CACFP. Your voice, your experience matters and can shape the future of this essential program.

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CACFP is Highlighted in Congressional Testimony for CNR by Reynaldo Green

3/26/2021

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Yesterday, the National CACFP Forum President, Reynaldo Green testified at the Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Healthy Meals and Healthy Futures hearing by the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

"We are at a critical juncture to strengthen the Child and Adult Care Food Program through Child Nutrition Reauthorization.  This will allow us to continue the original intent of the program: To address hunger and improve the nutritional well-being of millions of children across this country."  Reynaldo Green

Watch the testimony here.
Read the complete testimony here.
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Our President is Testifying at the CNR Hearing This Week

3/23/2021

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The Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) Act is being fast tracked this spring. On Thursday, this week, there will be a hearing held by the Senate U.S. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry called Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Healthy Meals and Healthy Futures. You can watch it here! Thursday, the 25th at 9:30 a.m. eastern.

Reynaldo Green, President of the National CACFP Forum and Vice President, Nutrition and Family Well-Being at Quality Care for Children will be testifying at the hearing on behalf of CACFP.

This is an important first step as the Senate Ag Committee listens to testimony and gathers ideas for the bill's renewal.  To learn more about CNR and the Forum's CNR priorities, click here.
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The Anti-Hunger Policy Conference is Over but the Advocacy is Just Beginning!

3/17/2021

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The CACFP Leadership and Policy track at the Anti-Hunger Policy Conference was once again motivating and inspiring this year.  We heard from Secretary Vilsack, Senators Stabenow and Boozman, USDA Leadership and experts in the CACFP field.  Secretary Vilsack shared the guiding principles of USDA under his leadership which are:
  • A hassle-free system for benefits qualification
  • Make sure benefits are convenient (i.e. expand online purchasing)
  • Consumers are offered and encouraged to make healthy choices
  • Equity guides decision-making & removes barriers
We also learned that the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) Act is being fast tracked by Congress this spring.  What does this mean?

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Child Care and Afterschool Programs to Receive Billions of Dollars in Relief Funds

3/10/2021

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Congratulations!
President Biden will soon sign the American Rescue Plan after it was approved by the Senate earlier today. In this plan comes much needed relief for child care and afterschool programs!
We congratulate all of the advocates on the provisions in the American Rescue Plan that provide the billions of dollars in relief for both child care and afterschool.


What does it include for child care?

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Secretary Tom Vilsack to lead USDA

3/2/2021

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Secretary Vilsack is no stranger to USDA and our federal nutrition programs!  Tom Vilsack was confirmed by the Senate for a second round of the Cabinet post as Secretary of USDA in the Biden administration.  Mr. Vilsack was the Secretary of USDA for 8 years under the Obama administration.

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National Day of Action to Urge Passage of #AmericanRescuePlan - 2/22/21

2/18/2021

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We'll be joining our friends at FRAC, the CCFP Roundtable and many other anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates on 2/22/21 to tell Congress to Pass the American Rescue Plan. There's a toolkit to help share on social media and everything. Take a look at FRAC's action alert (link)!  Call your Members of Congress on Monday and join the tweetstorm on Monday from 1:00 p.m.-2:00p.m. Eastern.
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Recommendations to States Regarding CACFP Emergency Operational Costs

2/17/2021

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In December, CACFP emergency funding was passed in the latest stimulus package. In January, USDA released guidelines for how the emergency operational cost reimbursement program is going to work. Now, it is in the states hands to apply, follow a timeline, and tell USDA how they plan to disburse the funds.

The
 National CACFP Forum and CCFP Roundtable have worked together to provide recommendations to the States "to develop a disbursement plan that is easy to navigate and without undue burden on CACFP sponsors and sites." At the highest level, the recommendations include:
  • To the fullest extent possible, expedite the disbursements to sponsors.
  • Take reasonable steps to simplify the reimbursement calculations.
  • Ensure documentation does not go beyond normal and usual expectations.
  • Share a portion of the administrative funds with sponsors to support the timely disbursement to sites.

Read the full letter and details of the recommendations here.
The Forum and the Roundtable are sharing this letter with the CACFP community in the hopes that it will be a resource the CACFP community can use to start your own conversations with your states. 

The Roundtable has provided this letter to the California Department of Education and USDA Western Region Office. 
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CACFP Leadership Track Sessions at the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference

2/17/2021

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CACFP Advocacy Institute: Child Nutrition Reauthorization and Transition Politics, Policies and Procedures

This advocacy institute will cover a dynamic CACFP transition action plan and the strategies needed to increase access to and strengthen CACFP in the current environment. Join us as we focus on creating positive CACFP change through mobilizing for a productive Child Nutrition Reauthorization; creating effective and equitable promotion and retention plans using new messaging, materials, and resources; and best practices, lessons learned, and policy recommendations for ensuring CACFP works well for all programs and providers.

Speakers and Moderators:
Geri Henchy
Jodi Kuhn
Susana Reza
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​CACFP Responses to COVID-19: Lessons Learned, Residual Issues, and Outstanding Concerns


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