About the CACFP

Administered in Texas through the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses child care centers, day care home providers, and adult day care centers for part of the cost associated with serving nearly 275,000 approved meals and snacks to children and adults every day. 

The goal of the CACFP is to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults, promote development of good eating habits, and integrate nutritious food service with organized child and adult day care services.  

Eligible participants are: child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.

CACFP may serve: 

• persons age 12 and under;
• persons age 15 and under who are children of migrant workers;
• persons with disabilities - persons with disabilities means persons of any age who have one ore more disabilities as determined by the State and who are enrolled in an institution or child care facility serving a majority of persons who are age 18 and under;
• persons age 18 and under who attend At-Risk afterschool care centers, or
• persons who are functionally impaired or age 60 and older and enrolled in an adult day care center.

PARTICIPATION 

A FOR-PROFIT CHILD CARE center may participate if at least 25% of the children in care (enrolled or licensed capacity, whichever is lower) receive the child care subsidy (Title XX) or meet the household income eligibility guidelines used in the federal school lunch program.

A FOR-PROFIT ADULT DAY CARE center may participate in the CACFP if 25% of the enrolled participants receive Title XIX and/or Title XX benefits.

NON-PROFIT CHILD AND ADULT DAY CARE centers qualify regardless of enrollment.

NOTE: Day Care Homes must participate with a sponsor.  They cannot contract directly with TDA.

HOW TO ENROLL 

There are two ways to enroll in the program:

• Facilities may call TDA for a list of non-profit sponsors of the CACFP and contact any one of the sponsoring organizations for child care centers or adult day care centers.  Federal regulation allows sponsors to charge sponsored organizations a fee for their services.
• Facilities may choose to enroll by entering into a contract directly with TDA.  There is no fee to contract directly with TDA.  However, facilities that contract directly with TDA may have more paperwork to complete than those that contract with sponsors.

                This information was taken from a pamphlet provided by the Texas Department of Agriculture.

For more information visit the Texas Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition website (click below).