Kenya Pennington, MAT

Nick Battles

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service

Program Analyst, Child Nutrition Programs

Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow, Child Nutrition Programs

Improving Food Security for Youth 

in Community-Based Settings
Today’s Presentation

• CACFP Overview

• SFSP Overview

• Streamlining Programs

• Federal Partnerships

• USDA Resources

• What's New

• Questions

What is the CACFP?

Federally funded, State-administered program that provides aid to:

• Child care centers/Preschools/Head Start Programs

• Family day care homes

• At-risk afterschool care centers*

• Adult day care centers

• Emergency shelters*

• Outside school hours care centers/programs* .

Meals and snacks must meet nutrition standards to be reimbursable

• Congregate, supervised meal services

• Year-round (except afterschool care centers), nonresidential (except shelters)

• No cash benefits for households
CACFP: Key Players

• Sign agreements with sponsors

• Provide training and technical assistance to sponsors

• Monitor performance and distribute funding

States

• A sponsoring organization, or independent center (e.g., 

At-risk, OSHCC)

• Handle administration, finances, and training for sites

• Report to the state

• Get reimbursed for meals served at sites

Institution

• Meal service location

• Feed and supervise children

• Provide activities

Child care facilities
• Organized primarily to care for children after school 

or on weekends, holidays, or school vacations

• Sponsored by local governments or non-profits

• Serves children up to age 18 and persons with 

disabilities of any age

• Eligibility limited to low-income school areas

• >50% eligible for free or reduced-price meals

• Sponsors must provide educational or 

enrichment activities for participating children

CACFP At-Risk: Key Facts
CACFP Outside School Hours Care Centers 

(OSHCCs)

Include?

• Organized primarily to care for children

before and/or after school

• Operates during the school year only

• Serves children 12 years and under, 

children of migrant workers 15 years and 

under, persons with disabilities of any age

Summer Food Service Program

Serves meals:

• When school is out for the summer

• When schools close for emergencies

• On-site, in area eligible community 

settings

And...

• All meals and snacks are provided 

free to children (18 and younger)
SFSP Key Players

• Sign agreements with sponsors

• Provide training and technical assistance to 

sponsors

• Monitor performance and distribute funding

States

• Handle administration, finances, and training for 

sites

• Report to the State

• Get reimbursed for meals served at sites

Sponsors

• Meal Service Location

• Feed and supervise children

• Provide activities

Sites
Mobile Feeding Options

Sponsors have the flexibility to 

serve children where they are if 

they do not have access to 

traditional sites. 

Sponsors can deliver meals to an 

area using a route with a series of 

stops at approved sites in the 

community.
Encouraging Partnerships
Benefits of Year-round Service

Organizational Benefits:

• Can hire year-round staff

• Additional financial stability

• Becomes a stable source of services

Community Benefits:

• Low-income children have greater 

access to meals throughout the year

• Brings more Federal funds into the 

local economy

SFSP + CACFP At-risk = Year Round Service!
Federal Partnerships

U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services:

• Administration for Children and 

Families

• Office of Head Start

Early Childhood Federal Partners 

Workgroup

• Programs for Children under the 

age of 5

U.S. Department of Housing and 

Urban Development:

• Office of Public and Indian Housing
Federal Partnerships

So, what can you do to get involved?

Ideas to consider: 

• Seek out opportunities for 

collaboration

 Educate participants of 

your programs about ours 

(and vice versa)

 Highlight Child Nutrition 

Programs in grant 

applications and 

supplemental materials

• When developing regulations and 

policy, be sure to consider:

 Potential overlap with other 

agencies, such as shared goals or 

strategies
USDA Resources
https://www.fns.usda.gov/sfsp/summer-food-service-program

USDA SFSP Webpage
USDA CACFP Webpage

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp
What’s New in Child Nutrition & the 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 

(SNAP)

Pending Changes and Impact of Recent Legislation
Benefit Changes

Thrifty Food Plan Reevaluation

• Maximum allotments increased by 21%,

• The SNAP minimum benefit increased $3 per month—to $20/month

Emergency Allotments 

• Ended March 2023 ahead of the PHE 

• Reduction of $95 or more for all SNAP households

Public Health Emergency

• PHE ends May 11, 2023

• Pandemic era flexibilities and waivers will also end

SNAP Updates

https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/changes-2023-benefit-amounts
New & Improved in Child Nutrition

Upcoming Rulemaking:

• Non-congregate Meal Service Option in Rural Areas

• Permanent Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children 

Program (coming Summer 2024!)

• Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary 

Guidelines for Americans (DGAs)

• Community Eligibility Provision – Increasing Options for Schools
Thank you!

Our Contact Information:

Kenya Pennington 

Kenya.Pennington@usda.gov

Nick Battles

Nicholas.Battles@usda.gov