New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) Secretary Ed Wengryn recently announced the Department of Agriculture’s continued partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
This program provides reimbursement for well-balanced, nutritious meals served to individuals enrolled in adult and childcare centers, family day care home (FDCH), after school programs, emergency shelters, and head start programs. CACFP federal funding is provided from the USDA and paid to Program Operators through an agreement with the NJDA, based on monthly claims submitted.
Examples of locations that have used CACFP to run successful feeding programs include Wishing Well Adult Day Health Care Center and Rainbow Children’s Musical Day Care each in Mercer County, Programs for Parents in Essex County, Circle of Friends in Union County, Acelero Learning Monmouth/Middlesex Inc., and Ocean Inc. Child Development Center in Ocean County.
The CACFP is available to public, private nonprofit organizations providing licensed or registered for non-residential day care services. Such organizations include adult care, childcare, FDCH Sponsors, after-school programs, schools, food banks, and city government organizations including organizations providing day care services for children and disabilities and/or special health care needs.
For-profit centers may qualify if they receive compensation under Title XX/XIX of the Social Security Act for at least 25 percent of the total participants who are receiving non-residential care, or 25 percent of their participants qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits.
The seven steps to CACFP Application Approval are:
1. Outreach Survey- are you eligible to participate?
2. Pre-Registration- are your business requirements in order?
3. Training- complete all required online CACFP training sessions
4. Gain Agreement Number- access to online Application
5. Complete Online Application Required Records
6. Pre-Approval- when steps 1- 6 are completed and approved
If interested in applying, contact NJDA CACFP njdacacfpcommunications@ag.nj.gov or call 609-984-1250.
You can begin by completing the NJDA CACFP Outreach and Eligibility Tool at www.nj.gov/agriculture
