The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a USDA, federally-funded program administered by States that provides reimbursement for meals served in childcare centers, adult day care centers, and family or group day care homes. The nutritious meals contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children, and the health and wellness of older adults, including chronically impaired disabled persons.

The CACFP can make a difference in the quality of your program! Whether you are a provider in your home, at a day care center, in an afterschool care program, adult day care center, or in an emergency shelter, you will find many useful resources for serving nutritious meals and snacks.

CACFP is regulated by the USDA and has specific program requirements. Please read this document carefully before deciding if becoming a CACFP Sponsor is right for you. If you are interested in becoming a Sponsor, please complete this interest form, and a program representative will reach out to you about the next steps. If you would like to participate in CACFP but do not have the capability to be a Sponsor, please email CACFP@doe.k12.de.us and a representative will assist you in connecting with a CACFP Sponsoring Organization.

Operational Resources

Operational Memos

Programs

Income Eligibility Forms

Procurement

Operational Resources

Operational Memos

The operational memos are for the current fiscal year. Operational memos for previous years have been archived.

Programs

The adult day care component of the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement for meals served to adults who are functionally impaired or over age 60. The CACFP meals provide adults the nutrition they need as a routine part of their day care program.

In order to participate, adult day care centers must enter into an agreement as an independent center or sponsored center, and serve wholesome and nutritious meals to the adults in their care. Meals served must meet minimum guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the USDA Adult Day Care Centers website.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) At-Risk Afterschool program provides Federal reimbursement to Afterschool Programs that serve a nutritious meal or snack to children in low-income areas.

Organizations may participate either independently or through a sponsoring organization, and the Afterschool Program must:

  • Be organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on weekends, holidays, or school vacations during the regular school year (NOT during the summer unless located in a school operating year-round);
  • Provide organized, regularly scheduled activities in a structured and supervised environment;
  • Include education or enrichment activities; and
  • Be located in an eligible area.

For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program website.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides Federal reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served to infants and children as a regular part of their day care. CACFP reimburses centers at free, reduced-price, or paid rates for eligible meals and snacks served to enrolled children, targeting benefits to those children most in need.

Enrolled participants in eligible day care centers can receive CACFP benefits if they are:

  • Age 12 years and under; or
  • Children of Migrant workers, age 15 and under; or
  • Mentally/physically disabled persons, as defined by the State, at any age if the majority of enrollees are age 18 or under; or
  • Children age 18 and under participating in approved temporary emergency shelters and at-risk afterschool programs.

A day care center day care must meet eligibility requirements to participate in the Program.

For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the USDA Child Care Centers website.

Public or private non-profit emergency shelters, which provide residential and food services to homeless children, may participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and serve up to three nutritious meals each day to children and youth, age 18 and under who reside at the shelter. The children are automatically eligible for free meals and snacks, and the shelter must certify that each child served is a resident of the emergency shelter.

An emergency shelter may also participate as an at-risk afterschool care center without regard to location.

For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the CACFP Emergency Shelters website.

The Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) Outside-School-Hours Program allows eligible child care institutions to participate as an independent institution, or under a sponsoring organization. Eligible institutions must provide care for school-age children outside regular school hours, such as: before school, after school, holidays and/or during school vacation periods. Weekend only programs are not eligible. The CACFP Outside-School-Hours-Care component requires:

  • Children age 12 or under;
  • Serve up to 2 meals and 1 snack per child;
  • Child care institutions to provide regularly scheduled and organized child care services;
  • Meets State and/or local child care licensing requirements, or local health and safety standards;
  • Be distinct from any organized extracurricular programs for scholastic, cultural, or athletic purposes.

Program providers receive Federal reimbursement for the nutritious meals served based on the free, reduced-price, or paid rate for each meal or snack served to participating children, depending on each child’s individual income. For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the USDA CACFP website.

The USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Family Day Care Homes (FDCH) program provides reimbursement for meals and snacks served to small groups of children receiving nonresidential day care in private homes that are licensed, registered, or approved to provide family child care, generally 12 years of age or younger.  In order to participate, FDCHs must enter into an agreement with a sponsoring organization (“sponsor”). FDCH providers serve well-balanced, nutritious meals to the children in their care.  Meals served must meet minimum guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For more information, please call the Delaware Department of Education’s Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356, or visit the USDA CACFP Family Day Care Homes (FDCH) website.

Procurement

Additional resources and procurement information can be found on the Resources for all Child Nutrition Programs page.