The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served to children across New York in eligible childcare and afterschool programs. CACFP Ambassador John Barber, Interim CEO of the Jamestown YMCA, shares how this vital nutrition program supports children throughout their community.
“We see the difference offering a 5-component ‘supper’ meal can make in helping those children who may not find a full meal when they get home.”
CACFP is making a real difference in Jamestown, where the Jamestown YMCA uses it to serve nutritious meals to nearly 300 children at six afterschool sites and a childcare center. Using a central kitchen model, Jamestown YMCA offers hot meals each day to its sites. “While some meals like snacks and breakfast are easily prepared at the child care center, our central kitchen can supply a hot meal daily that is delivered onsite,” explains John.
Jamestown YMCA uses a central kitchen model
Hot meals are delivered to afterschool and childcare sites each day
Meals make a big difference for hundreds of kids
Feeding Kids Year-Round
Like many communities, Jamestown is impacted by food insecurity and rising food prices. As more families struggle to afford groceries, Jamestown YMCA is committed to providing children with year-round access to nutritious food. In addition to the meals served in its child care center, the organization uses the At-Risk Afterschool Supper component of CACFP to offer free meals to children ages 5 to 18 during the school year and participates in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to provide meals to children when schools close for the summer.
“Our role as a sponsor of CACFP is critical to our ability to provide meals 12 months out of the year,” John highlights.
“Access to meals in out-of-school time programs has enabled children to access healthy meals and food components at a critical time when those resources have become less affordable.”
What’s the secret to getting kids excited about nutritious food?
Anything that resembles pizza! According to John, it’s all in the presentation. “Anything that remotely resembles or can be called ‘pizza’ is at the top of kids’ lists,” he shares. The YMCA’s specialty Pizza Wrap “is a great way to include a wide variety of meal components all rolled up in a whole-grain wrap.”
Partnerships are Key
Local partnerships are key to implementing a successful CACFP program and combatting food insecurity among children. “The need to address food insecurity for children is something other community-based organizations and schools are all motivated to address, but they don’t always have the infrastructure or structures to be a CACFP sponsor,” John explains.
Through CACFP and other meal programs, Jamestown YMCA “has helped foster stronger community connections that extend beyond food to how we address critical community needs,” John shares. “Communities are always stronger when they work together, and meal programs serve as a conduit for strengthening these community partnerships.”
CACFP is a Win-Win
For organizations interested in CACFP participation, John recommends: “Learning to use a reimbursement program like CACFP allows programs to free up resources that might otherwise have been needed for food. CACFP is a win-win for programs. The expanded meals will better address childhood hunger.”
Want to learn more or have questions about getting started?
Email Kayla.Snyder@HungerSolutionsNY.org or visit Childcare Meals NY.
