Illinois State Board of Education Announces the Child and Adult Care Food Program

Springfield, IL —The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced the availability of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).  The CACFP is a federally funded program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that is administered by ISBE.

The program is designed to primarily assist child care centers, Head Start programs, before- and after-school programs, emergency shelters, and day care home providers with funding to provide nutritious meals to children in their care.  All participating child care centers and day care homes must provide meals to enrolled children at no additional charge and without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

Individuals in households that receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are automatically eligible to receive free meal benefits.  Children enrolled in Head Start or Early Head Start programs, or foster care children that are legal responsibilities of the State or court, are also allowed to receive free meal benefits at approved Head Start facilities.  Parents or guardians should contact their child care center or day care home provider to find out if they participate in this program. 

A list of participating Illinois institutions is available on the ISBE Nutrition Programs Interactive Map at http://webprod1.isbe.net/NutSvc/. 

The USDA Household Income Eligibility Guidelines are listed below for families who do not receive TANF or SNAP benefits.  If a household’s income falls within or below the listed guidelines, they should contact their child care center or day care home provider for the benefits of the program. They may be required to complete an application and provide income, TANF, or SNAP information.