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CACFP Today

2021-2022 CACFP Reimbursement Rates Have Been Released

7/7/2021

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Every year in July USDA publishes in the Federal Register the new CACFP reimbursement rates. Read the notice here and see the table below.

Family child care providers, don't forget, you're #tier1forayear. Starting July 1, because of USDA eligibility waivers, through June 30, 2022 all family child care providers will be reimbursed at the tier 1 rate. Learn more here.

Learn more about the benefits of participating on the food program, especially this year from Tom Copleand!

​Clarification on Table:  Printed Correction from Federal Register. Reduced price in the "supplement" column for centers is supposed to be .50 not .05 (this is how it reads in the narrative text - the table in the federal register had a typo).

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Join the Movement: Be a part of the CACFP Kid Ambassador Campaign

7/6/2021

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Join the National CACFP Forum and the CACFP Roundtable for the CACFP Kid Ambassador Campaign.  Together, we can lift up the voice of CACFP children.  They can share with Congress and the community at large what CACFP means to them!  

What is it? 
An advocacy campaign to show congress the impact the CACFP has on children in child care and out of school.

Why participate? We need to take a complicated program and make it real for our congressional leaders as they consider making changes to improve and invest in CACFP.
What to do?  
  • Step One: Record a child or children in the child care or out of school setting sharing something about CACFP that they like.  For example, a favorite meal, a new fruit or vegetable they learned about, how they helped cook a meal, one of their “jobs” in meal prep or clean up, or that they really look forward to that snack after school.
  • Step Two: Be sure you have a parent release form on file**
  • Step Three: Submit your video to samantha@ccfproundtable.org or see here for other ways to share to us or directly to your Congress Members.


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CNR Update - The House Held a Hearing Earlier this Month

6/16/2021

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The hearing, End Child Hunger: Priorities for Child Nutrition Reauthorization, was held to discuss Child Nutrition Reauthorization held by the House Committee on Education & Labor.  There was rich discussion around the importance of universal healthy meals for school age children.  Unfortunately, there was not a discussion around healthy meals in child care or CACFP in particular.  The good thing is that Chairwoman Bonameci is a champion of CACFP and has previously introduced bi-partisan legislation that supports an improved CACFP.  You can listen to her and Representative Stefanik talk about the value of CACFP and the work you do to ensure children and adults receive healthy meals in CACFP programs.

There's more time for advocacy and education from the CACFP community to your congressmembers!  If you haven't already you can:
  • Support Senator Casey's Bill, Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act, by telling your congress member to support it with this simple form!
  • Watch the Forum's President, Reynaldo Green testify in front of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as he lifts up the voice of CACFP 
  • And get your facts and story telling ready to go with some of these resources.

More hearings will be held in both the Senate and House as CNR moves forward.  The National CACFP Forum will keep you up to date.
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USDA Issues Q&A for Suite of Nationwide Waivers Issued in April

6/16/2021

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On June 11th, USDA issued Questions and Answers for Child Nutrition Program Operations in School Year 2021-2022 to clarify questions that arose after the suite of nationwide waivers published in April. These waivers are to address the complexities of feeding children in school and child care as we recover, in different ways, from the pandemic. Be sure to read what the Q&A actually says for the questions below.  Has your state applied for the waivers?


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Fact Sheets and Reports to help you tell the CACFP Story

5/25/2021

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As we gear up to share the CACFP story with our congressional leaders heading into the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, we thought we'd share some fact sheets and reports to help you do that. 

A Little Background
Every 5 years congress takes a look at child nutrition programs and determines how they can be better.  With the help of advocates like the Forum, FRAC, the CACFP Roundtable and your individual voices - they do things like end block claiming in 2010.  This year, it's looking really positive that through the CNR, the CACFP community could get a big win such as allowing an additional meal.  The Senate Bill has been introduced which is Access to Healthy Food for Young Children Act.  This has in it the extra meal, reducing paperwork and increasing access to the program through different eligibility changes.  Tell your members of congress that they should support this bill.  All you have to do is fill out this quick form.   There is an expectation to have a bill from the house that is similarly good for the food program.  Filling out this form is one way to get your congressional leaders attention.  Another is to tell your CACFP Story.

Tell the CACFP Story
Another way to get your congressional members attention is to have a meeting with their office - or several - and share with them your experiences.  We know that can be kind of scary sometimes so here are some resources that my help you tell the CACFP story with facts and numbers pulled from other reports and fact sheets.  Here are some to get you started:
  • CACFP Fact Sheet: A Fact Sheet that you could just leave behind (or email if a zoom call) at congressperson's office.  This one is generic to the whole program.
  • CACFP State Specific Fact Sheet:  This one you can fill in all of your state's statistics!  This helps your congressperson understand the impact in their own state - which is very important. You can find the stats here.
  • CACFP During COVID-19: A Key Support for Families Despite Losses Due to the Pandemic: It's hard to talk about anything these days without framing the issue around the pandemic.  This report does that for you.  Use this then add your personal story to it.
  • Easing Barriers to Child Care Food Subsidies for Home-Based Child Care Providers Offers Policymakers an Overlooked Opportunity:  This is blog report and related report that connects the importance of the food program and participation in the food program to the benefits for children and home-based child care providers.  It tells of barriers and makes recommendations for policy makers.  Read through it and pull out the parts you think are important to share.
  • Promising Practices for Home Based Child Care: Knowledge is king, right?  This report focuses on home-based child care as well and highlights the ways in which CACFP can support caregivers in the home setting, specifically in Louisiana.  See how other states are doing the program and consider if/how/what you would like to recommend to your policymakers.
  • Pictures:  Don't forget pictures.  Show people how your food program - which ever part of it you play - makes a difference for children, for your staff, for families, for adults for those in emergency shelters.  Remember the CACFP Birthday?  Those pictures of our CACFP community in action made an impact with Congress, partners and community at large.
These are just a few examples of how you can use these reports.  You can also use them and these strategies to advocate for policy change at the state level.

More to Come
We will be providing further resources for you to tell your CACFP Story for CNR and the future!  Stay Tuned.
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USDA Q&A - CACFP 09-2021

5/25/2021

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​On April 19th, USDA published a Q&A regarding "Child Nutrition Program Oversight, Administration, and Reporting During COVID-19."

The Q&A addresses reviews and reporting for child nutrition programs broadly and then in particular.   Broadly the Q&A answers the following questions:
  1. What Child Nutrition Programs do State agencies and local Program operators need to review?
  2. What if the State agency or local Program operator encounters challenges meeting oversight and monitoring requirements during COVID-19?
  3. Can State agencies request statewide waivers on behalf of local program operators?
CACFP is specifically addressed on pages 8-9 with this question:
  1. Are any other CACFP monitoring requirements waived outside of what is provided in COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #40: Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for State Agencies in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and COVID-19: Child Nutrition response #39: Nationwide Waiver of Onsite Monitoring Requirements for Sponsors in the Child and Adult Care  Food Program?

Spoiler Alert: The short answer is no.
Read the memo here.

​Cross-post: CACFP Roundtable 

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Are there CACFP Supports in the American Families Plan?

5/12/2021

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Late last month President Biden unveiled the highly anticipated American Families Plan.  Unfortunately, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is not included in the plan.  There are, however, many provisions that address childhood hunger and investments in child care.

Some of the provisions that address childhood food insecurity include:
  • expand Summer EBT
  • increase community eligibility
  • investments in healthy foods initiatives
Read FRAC's statement FRAC Applauds Biden Administration for Critical Investments in Food Programs in American Families Plan

In relation to child care and early learning "The president is proposing to provide a $225 billion investment to address the child care needs of families and providers, $220 billion to expand voluntary preschool access to all 3- and 4-year-olds, and a permanent extension of recent improvements from the American Rescue Plan to various tax credits, including to the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CDCTC), among other provisions to help working parents and young children." (First Five Years Fund)
Read "American Families Plan Includes Historic Support and Reforms for the Nation's Early Learning and Child Care System" for more details.

​This proposal is separate from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) which is a bill that has been signed and states are submitting their plans to the federal government over the coming weeks providing an overview of how they intend to use those funds.  Guidance for how states can use the ARPA funds in the child care sector was published yesterday.  View that guidance here.
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Take Action with a Quick Form to Tell Your Members of Congress to Support a Bill That Strengthens CACFP

4/27/2021

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Thank you for taking action! Last week we asked you to take action and endorse a CACFP bill, Access to Healthy Food For Young Children Act, that was being reintroduced in the Senate by Senator Casey.

​Now that the bill has been reintroduced to the Senate it's time to tell your members of Congress to support the bill. (link)

How do you do that?
Just fill out this quick form, personalize the email - if you'd like - and click send! This will send an email to your members of congress. Then share the link with your networks!

What Does the Bill do for CACFP?
This critical Act would support healthy nutrition for children in child care through strengthening the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) by:

  • improving the adequacy of benefits by allowing another meal or snack for children in a full day of care;
  • increasing reimbursement rates for providers and sponsors;
  • reaching more providers in rural and suburban areas by improving area eligibility;
  • streamlining monthly paperwork by moving to annual eligibility for for-profit child care centers and;
  • eliminating overly burdensome and outdated paperwork.

What Happens Next?
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We expect another bill to be introduced in the house in the coming weeks. Keep an eye out for future calls to action!  In the meantime, be sure you tell your members of Congress to support this one!

Crosspost: CACFP Roundtable

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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 can be extended beyond October 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. (state by state, case by case basis)


Here are the links to the CACFP waivers:
  • Nationwide Waiver of Area Eligibility in the Afterschool Programs and for Family Day Care Home Providers in 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 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
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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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