Afterschool Meals

Programs located in qualified low-income areas may be able to participate in the At-Risk Afterschool Snack/Supper component of CACFP if they:

• Are organized primarily to provide care for children after school or on weekends, holidays, or school breaks during the regular school year
  • Programs serving children under age 13 may need to be licensed if required by the local school-age licensing agency. Click here to learn more.
• Include educational or enrichment activities like tutoring, computer classes, arts and crafts, life skills, or recreation programs
  • Note: During the 2021-2022 school year, programs can use virtual or take-home activities to meet this requirement. See activity ideas from our partners: New York State Network for Youth Success and No Kid Hungry.
• Are located within the enrollment area of a school where 50% or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. You can search lists of schools that meet this requirement at the links below. Note: This requirement is waived for the 2021-2022 school year. Through June 30, 2022, programs in all areas of the state may qualify for CACFP’s At-Risk Afterschool Snack/Supper component.
  • Eligible School Communities Outside NYC
  • Eligible School Communities In NYC

If your program does not meet the eligibility criteria listed above, it may still qualify for a different component of CACFP. Contact us for more information.

CACFP reimburses sponsors for each creditable meal or snack served. Programs participating in the At-Risk Afterschool Snack/Supper component can be reimbursed $3.66 per meal or $1.00 per snack served, up to one meal and one snack per child per day.

CACFP reimbursements can make a big difference for programs’ food budgets. For example, an At-Risk Afterschool program serving supper to 60 students Monday through Friday could receive up to $4,392 per month in reimbursement. If that same program served a snack and supper, the reimbursement could increase to up to $5,592 per month.

To be eligible for reimbursement, meals must:

• Follow the NYS DOH meal pattern requirements, which require certain food components (e.g., vegetables, fruits, grains, fluid milk, meat or meat alternate) and minimum serving sizes. Click here for sample menus and additional information.
• Be served in an organized setting, not necessarily a cafeteria. Students do not need to all eat at the same time.
  • Note: During the 2021-2022 school year, programs may be approved to serve non-congregate meals (i.e., grab-and-go or delivered meals). Visit our COVID-19 webpage for more information.
• Be served to children or teenagers ages 18 and younger, with exceptions for participants with disabilities

To apply for CACFP, contact the NYS Department of Health:

Call: (518) 402-7400
Email: cacfp@health.ny.gov using the subject line “Outreach Coordinator.”

The NYS Department of Health’s CACFP prescreening tool can help determine if a program may be eligible.

Schools, afterschool programs, and childcare centers throughout New York State are nourishing youth with CACFP. Read their stories.

State:

• NYSDOH 
• NYS Network for Youth Success

National:

• USDA
• National CACFP Sponsors Association
• FRAC
• Share our Strength, No Kid Hungry