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9 Parents’ Guide to Selecting Quality Child Care | WHAT IS THE CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM (CACFP)? ECECD’s Family Nutrition Bureau administers two USDA Child Nutrition Programs, the Child and the Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). CACFP provides reimbursement to childcare providers for nutritious meals and snacks served to children in child care settings. The meals provided through child care programs help to ensure that eligible children and adults in child care facilities receive nutritious meals that meet USDA meal pattern requirements. Institutions which can participate in the programs include: • School food authorities • Local government entities • Private non-profit organizations (such as faith-based organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs and community action agencies) • Head Start programs • Certain for-profit institutions that meet eligibility requirements How to access CACFP CACFP benefits are available to all enrolled participants. Enrollment takes place through your child’s early childhood program, which include Head Start programs, child care centers, before-and after- school care programs, family child care home providers, PreK programs, emergency housing shelters, hospitals and clinics, schools, preschools, and adult day care facilities. Participation in CACFP is free in most centers. If your early childhood program has opted to use the pricing program provision and charge for meals, parents must complete an Income Eligibility Application in order to qualify for free meals. Otherwise, parents are required to pay a fee—either a reduced rate or a full rate, depending on family income. For more information visit www.nmececd. org/family-nutrition/.