USA Child and Adult Care Food Program: Know CACFP Enrolment Form, Eligibility

With the help of several programs, the U.S. federal government provides much-needed food assistance to low-income families. Similarly, the United States Department of Agriculture runs the Child and Adult Care Food Program or CACFP. This program works as providing reimbursement to eligible children and adults of the country. The major purpose of the U.S. government behind CACFP is to ensure citizens receive nutritious meals and snacks. The CACFP reimbursement rate depends on the claimants enrolled in the types of participating care programs. The major participating programs under the CACFP include the Child Care Centres and Day Care Homes.

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program funds Child Care Centres, Day Care Homes, After School Care Programs, Emergency Shelters, and Adult Day Care Homes under the Department of Agriculture. The day care centers are responsible for providing free reimbursements to the eligible beneficiaries. Moreover, the other programs may provide reduced or paid rates for the meals. Citizens who are enrolled in these institutions can receive reimbursements for nutritious food and snacks. With the CACFP, the department assists low-income and moderate-income children and adults. Apart from that, senior citizens over age 60, and residents suffering from a disability can also claim the reimbursement.

Child Tax Credit Changes 2024

Upcoming Social Security Changes Due to COLA 2025

$2,710/ Month at the Age of 62 in October 2024

Eligible children and adults may receive 2 meals and one snack at the child care centers and day care homes. In addition to this, the emergency shelters may also provide 3 meals per eligible citizen of the country each day. On the other hand, through the after-school care program, claimants can get one meal and one snack every day. The USA Child and Adult Care Food Program eligibility plays a key role in the reimbursement of meals and snacks. To receive these benefits, the citizens need to apply for the CACFP enrolment in their respective states.

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program Quick Overview

Title	USA Child and Adult Care Food Program
Country	The USA
Program Name	Child and Adult Care Food Program
Department	USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS)
Governed by	The U.S. Federal Government
Category	Government aid
Purpose	To provide food assistance
Applicable for	Eligible children and their families
Year	2024
Official website	ers.usda.gov

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program Reimbursement Rates

In financial year 2024, there is a slight increase in the USA Child and Adult Care Food Program reimbursement rates. Following are the CACFP rates provided by the U.S. government for day care homes and centers:

Reimbursement Rates for Centers

—	Breakfast	Lunch	Snacks
Free	$2.37	$4.43	$1.21
Reduced	$2.07	$4.03	$0.60
Paid	$0.39	$0.42	$0.11
At risk	—	$4.43	$1.21

Reimbursement Rates for Day Care

Tier	Breakfast	Lunch	Snacks
Tier I	$1.66	$3.15	$0.93
Tier II	$0.60	$1.90	$0.26

For Sponsoring Organizations of Day Care Homes

Number of Homes	Reimbursement Rate
First 50 homes	$147
Next 150 homes	$112
Next 800 homes	$87
Additional homes	$77

NOTE: The reimbursement rates in the abovementioned table are for the Contiguous States. The rates for Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may differ for the beneficiaries.

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program Eligibility Criteria

Children and adults who wish to claim the benefits of the USA Child and Adult Care Food Program should know the guidelines to qualify for reimbursements. According to the Department of Agriculture, those who meet the following eligibility criteria are considered eligible for the CACPF:

• Citizens applying for the CACFP must have citizenship of the United States of America.
• Additionally, a permanent residency in one of the states is also required.
• Children who are in child care centers and day care homes are eligible up to 12 years of age.
• For the afterschool care and emergency shelter, children up to 18 years of age are eligible for the USA Child and Adult Care Food Program.
• If a migrant worker has a child or children, he/she must not be older than 15 years of age.
• Adult citizens who are enrolled in adult day care homes should be 60 years old or above. Apart from that, if someone has a physical disability or mental illness, then they are also eligible for the CACPF.

USA Child and Adult Care Food Program Enrolment Form

Before moving forward with the enrolment of the USA Child and Adult Care Food Program, citizens may require to qualify for the eligibility requirements. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, citizens do not need to fill out an application form to receive the CACFP reimbursement rates. The enrolment for the food program depends on the states in which an applicant is currently residing.

For that, one needs to contact their state agency to get detailed information regarding their eligibility for the food program. In this process, parents can contact the authorities for their children. Additionally, adults and senior citizens or those with any disability can also contact their respective state’s agency for the same. For more information, eligible beneficiaries can visit the official website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Apart from that, they can also visit the web portal of the Food and Nutrition Service’s CACFP.

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