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The Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a meal reimbursement program, administered by the Ohio Department of Education and funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service. The object of the program is to improve the diets of children under 13 years of age by providing the children with nutritious, well-balanced meals and to develop good eating habits in children that will last through their adult life. 4C reimburses every participating provider the full food service rate set by the USDA.

Who Can Participate?

Federal reimbursement for meals and snacks are available to any public or private organization, or any for-profit Title XX organization that provides licensed or approved nonresidential care services and meets eligibility requirements. Such organizations include but are not limited to:

  • Child care centers
  • Family child care homes
  • Outside-school-hours care centers
  • Head Start centers
  • Institutions providing care service for children with disabilities
  • Adult care center

Who Benefits?

Children enrolled in family child care homes:

  • 12 years of age and younger
  • 15 years of age and younger whose parent are migrant or seasonal farm workers
  • Physically and mentally disabled individuals 18 years of age or younger

Meal Service Requirements

Participating organizations must serve meals that fulfill the USDA meal pattern.

CACFP Meal Pattern Requirements
Breakfast (Three items) Lunch or Supper Five Items) Snacks (Two of Four Groups)
  • Milk
  • Fruit or Juice or Vegetable
  • Grains or Bread
  • Milk
  • Meat or Meat Alternate
  • Grains or Bread
  • Two Different Servings of Fruit or Juice or Vegetable
  • Milk
  • Meat or Meat Alternate
  • Grains or Bread
  • Fruit or Juice or Vegetable
Reimbursement is provided for up to 2 meals (breakfast, lunch, and/or supper) and a snack per day per enrollee. This monetary supplement can help balance your meal service costs.

All meals served to children and/or adults under the Child & Adult Care Food Program are served at no separate charge regardless of race, color, sex, disability, or national origin. There is no discrimination in admissions policy, meal service or use of facilities. Any complaints should be submitted in writing to the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington DC 20250 .

Child Nutrition Program Reimbursement Rates
Effective July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012

Family Child Care Homes
  Tier I Tier II
Breakfast
$1.24
$0.45
Lunch/Dinner
$2.32
$1.40
Snacks
$0.69
$0.19

Note: Amount shown is per child/per meal each day

Tier I

Any child care home located in either (1) A census block area where 50% or more of the households are at or below 185% of poverty, or (2) an elementary school area where 50% or more the enrolled students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. If a provider lives in one of these areas, or his/her household income is at or below 185% of poverty, the home will quality for Tier I rates.

Tier II

Any child care home located outside the eligible census or school areas (as defined above) and the provider's household income is above 185% of poverty. Individual families within Tier II homes may be asked by their child care provider to supply income information to the sponsoring organization. Enrolled children from families whose income is at or below 185% would quality for the higher (Tier I) rates.

Tier II High

A Tier II High home is located outside of a poverty area and all enrolled children qualify for the higher (Tier I) rates based on family eligibility.

Tier II Low

A Tier II Low home is located outside of a poverty area and none of the enrolled children qualify for the higher (Tier I) rates.

Tier II Mixed

A Tier II Mixed home is located outside of a poverty area and some enrolled children qualify for the higher (Tier I) rates and some qualify for the lower (Tier II) rates.

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Resources for CACFP participants

Attend a FREE orientation session to find out how you can join the 4C Registry or the CACFP. More details here.

If you are already a CACFP participant, you must attend one nutrition training session per year. Register for your annual training today!

Meal Service Requirements

Reimbursement Rates (updated July 2011)