M any child development programs benefit from the meals, resources and dollars provided by the federal child nutrition programs. Program goals may vary, but the snack or meal served provides children with the energy to participate in activities and acts as a magnet to draw children into the program. FRAC's Building Blocks Project seeks to help partners and others in child development to access the benefits and resources of these programs. It offers information, technical assistance and support to help them do so.
Many communities operate such programs.
Not all of them, however, take full advantage of the resources offered by federal nutrition programs. Many more communities and programs could access these resources to strengthen their efforts to support and nurture the development of children. The Child and Adult Care Food Program serves nutritious meals to some 2,000,000 children a day in child care centers, Head Start and family child care homes, including school age children in after school programs, assuring quality in child care and acting as a hook to draw children to after-school havens. Many children depend on their child care providers for 75 percent of their daily nutrient intake. The Summer Food Service Program for Children provides nutritious meals to over 2,200,000 children during summer months when school is out.