| Nutrition Services Division Information Alert |
|
| To: National School Lunch Program |
Number: USDA-SNP-04-2011 |
| Attention: Food Service Directors |
Date: May 2011 |
| Subject: Expansion of Afterschool Care Programs to Include Meal Reimbursement Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program | |
| Reference: United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Policy Memos SP 04-2011; CACFP 01-2011 | |
| Supersedes: Management Bulletin USDA-CACFP-02-2011 (January 2011) | |
This Information Alert (IA) notifies National School Lunch Program (NSLP) sponsors that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded eligibility for NSLP sponsors operating afterschool care programs to serve supper meals for reimbursement through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Background
On December 13, 2010, President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (Act), reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Programs. The Act expands the CACFP at-risk afterschool snack program to include meals. The afterschool snack components of the NSLP and CACFP were established to support afterschool programs with educational and/or enrichment activities for children in the afternoon or evening [Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR) 210.2 and 226.a(b)].
Purpose
The USDA allows NSLP sponsors operating extended school days or afterschool care programs to receive reimbursement through the CACFP for one meal and/or one snack per day.
This is an exciting change and the Nutrition Services Division (NSD) plans to streamlined the CACFP application process for local education agencies (LEA). The CACFP enrollment process currently requires sponsors to submit information to NSD to assess for financial viability, capability, and accountability. LEAs are not required to meet this criteria. The NSD will issue a Management Bulletin (MB) providing sponsors with detailed instructions and guidance.
Please note, LEAs must enroll through the CACFP to claim meal reimbursements for their afterschool care programs. This program is separate from the NSLP afterschool snack component that schools can offer when LEAs participate in the NSLP.
Requirements
Sponsors that want to participate in the afterschool care component of the CACFP to serve a meal and/or snack must:
- Be located in a geographic area served by a school in which 50 percent or more of the participants enrolled are eligible for free or reduced-price (F/RP) meals
- Operate their program after school hours, which may include weekends, and school holidays during the regular school year
- Provide participants with regularly scheduled activities in an organized, structured, and supervised environment
- Include enrichment activities or an educational component
- Meet the CACFP snack and meal pattern requirements
Sponsors participating in the afterschool care component of the CACFP are not required to conduct eligibility determinations or collect enrollment information for participants.
Reimbursement
Sponsors claiming afterschool meals or snacks must maintain the following records:
- Roster or sign-in sheet to document the total number of participants
- Menus with portion sizes
The chart below lists the CACFP meal/snack reimbursement rates for the 2010–11 school year.
CACFP Meal/Snack Reimbursement Rates
Breakfast
Federal:
$1.48
State:
$0.16
Total Breakfast: $1.64 per meal
Lunch
Federal + cash-in-lieu of commodities ($0.2025): $2.92
State: $0.16
Total Lunch:
$3.08 per meal
Supper
Total Supper [Federal + cash-in-lieu of commodities ($0.2025)]: $2.92 per meal
Snack
Total Snack (Federal only): $0.74
Please note that the NSD is working with the USDA to obtain more detailed guidance and will issue a more comprehensive MB on this issue. The NSD will post both the MB and this IA to the California Department of Education (CDE) Web site.
The USDA policy memo regarding this issue is available at the USDA Web page http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Policy-Memos/2011/SP04_CACFP01-2011revised_os.pdf
Please submit any questions regarding this new USDA policy to ReauthorizationSNP@cde.ca.gov with “Afterschool Meals” in the subject line.
Note: The attached survey is being provided in an effort to forecast how many sponsors are interested in providing supper meals. Please complete the survey and submit your response by 5 p.m. on June 8, 2011.
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