Let the USDA Help You Help the Children in Your Care!
By Kristen Allen, Programs Coordinator, RI Community Food Bank
At the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, we are working to ensure that all Rhode Islanders have access to healthy food every day. In addition to providing nutritious food to food pantries and soup kitchens, we also work with shelters, group homes, and child care programs in a variety of ways. As the Programs Coordinator, I am tasked with developing and supporting specialized hunger relief programs, including the BackPack Program (sending needy children home from school with food for the weekend), School Pantries, and Kids Café (providing hot evening meals to children in afterschool programs). I also work to promote awareness about food and nutrition resources that are available to child care, afterschool, and social service organizations across the state.
Rhode Island ranks the highest among the New England states in food insecurity, meaning that families go without food for a meal period or even an entire day because they do not have sufficient resources to meet this basic need. The member agencies of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank are serving 66,000 people each month—up by 6,000 people since last year and double the number of people we were serving in 2007. One in three receiving this emergency food assistance is a child under the age of 18.
Federal nutrition programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) bring critically needed resources into our state. Programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), WIC, National School Breakfast and Lunch, and the Summer Food Service Program. For Rhode Island families, these programs go a long way towards filling the meal gap they face. However, these programs are under-utilized. Your organizations are uniquely positioned to access and advocate for these programs.
Professionals in child care and out-of-school time programs may already know about the USDA’s Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Like the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs, CACFP provides reimbursement for nutritious meals provided to low-income children in child care and afterschool programs. In the past, that has allowed providers to offer breakfast, lunch, and snacks to children. Beginning last year, the program was expanded to allow providers to also offer dinners. Many child care and afterschool programs are open well into the dinner hour; if the families served by these programs are food insecure, they could benefit from this additional meal being provided to their children.
To be eligible for USDA reimbursement for afterschool meals and snacks, your program has to be at a site where 50% or more of the children attending the nearest school (geographically) are eligible for free/reduced lunch. The meals served must be nutritionally balanced (the USDA provides a list of mandatory components—how much fruit, how much protein, etc.). Your program must offer educational or enrichment activities, and meet Rhode Island health and safety codes.
The reimbursement system is administered by the Rhode Island Department of Education. There is an online application process, as well as ongoing record-keeping and monitoring requirements. In all honesty, it is time-consuming, and the online system can be confusing. However, the great majority of RIASPA members are likely already providing some sort of snack or meal to their students. This program provides a steady income to support that commitment—freeing up the resources you are now using for food for other purposes.
For programs already participating in CACFP, consider adding dinner to your program. It will help struggling families meet a critical basic need. For programs that are eligible, but are not yet participating in CACFP, this is a terrific opportunity. For more information and help getting started, contact me directly at kallen@rifoodbank.org or (401)230-1700.
