Description

	Provides nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults enrolled in day care facilities, such as child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers. Also provides meals to children and youth in emergency shelters and in afterschool programs.
	Reimburses day care centers at free, reduced-price, or paid rates for eligible meals and snacks served to children and adults, based upon the participants’ eligibility under the Income Eligibility Guidelines.
	Reimburses day care home providers based on eligibility for tier I rates (which target higher levels of reimbursement to low-income areas, providers, or children) or lower tier II rates.
	Provides USDA Foods or cash-in-lieu of USDA Foods to participating institutions, in addition to cash reimbursement.

Participantion

	Approximately 2 billion meals were served to 3.3 million children and 120,000 adults in FY 2011.
	Individuals enrolled in participating centers from households with incomes at or below 130 percent of poverty guidelines are eligible for free meals; this amount is $29,965 for a family of four from July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013.
	Individuals enrolled in participating centers with household incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent of poverty are eligible for reduced-price meals. Reduced-price income eligibility for a family of four is $42,643 from July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013.
	Day care homes may be reimbursed based on location, with homes in low-income areas receiving higher rates of reimbursement than homes in higher income areas.
	Children and youth who reside in emergency shelters or attend eligible afterschool programs are automatically eligible for free meal benefits.

Budget

2.7 billion were appropriated for the child care component and $121.6 million were appropriated for the adult care component in FY 2012.

Contact Information

For complete information, visit www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care  or contact your State agency that administers CACFP. View agency listings at www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Contacts/StateDirectory.htm

Last modified: 01/22/2013