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Program provides free meals at child care and adult care centers

For release: Immediate    Dec. 28, 2010
Contact: Julie Henry, 919-707-5053

RALEIGH — Thousands of children and adults in daycare programs across North Carolina are being fed free, nutritious meals and snacks daily through the federally funded Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

More than 5,000 facilities across North Carolina – including child care centers, family child care homes, after-school programs, Head Start, shelters and adult day care centers – currently participate in the CACFP. During the month of September 2010, approximately 130,000 North Carolina children and adults were fed breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks through the program – a total of more than 6 million meals.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and administered by the North Carolina Division of Public Health. None of the children or adults at the participating facilities are charged for the food. The program reimburses the facilities for the food they serve.

“Children in CACFP usually receive more nutrients and fewer servings of fats and sweets than the children in child care settings that do not participate in CACFP,” Alice Lenihan, head of N.C. Public Health’s Nutrition Services Branch, said. “In fact, participation in CACFP has been shown to be a major factor in quality care – 87 percent of the family child care homes providing child care participate in CACFP.”

For a list of participating child and adult care centers in North Carolina, or to identify facilities in your community that participate in CACFP, see the N.C. Public Health Nutrition Services website .

In North Carolina, none of the participating centers are permitted to charge separately for meals, although that is allowed in some states. Across the nation, children who are Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients, members of food stamp or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) households, or are Head Start participants are automatically eligible to receive free CACFP meal benefits. Adult participants who are members of food stamp or FDPIR households or who are Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid participants also are eligible to receive the free meals.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, child and adult care facilities participating in CACFP are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Income Eligibility Guidelines
NOTE: These Income Eligibility Guidelines determine the reimbursement rates for the facilities, but ALL enrollees at participating centers in North Carolina receive the free meals, regardless of income.

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EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010 - JUNE 30, 2011

THE FOLLOWING HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND INCOME STANDARDS ARE USED TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY: