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Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

2026-04

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Division of Finance and Support Services
Child Nutrition Programs
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811

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This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

Sponsoring organizations and institutions are required by regulation to keep Bulletins, Instructions, and USDA Policy Memorandums for reference and to apply immediately the appropriate instruction to agency programs. The latest policy memos are found on the USDA FNS policy page. Call Child Nutrition Programs if you need further clarification.

Modifying the FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement – Nutrition Programs and Activities

FNS is modifying the FNS Instruction 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement – Nutrition Programs and Activities, and developing a new guidance tool which will be used to provide assistance and direction to FNS employees and recipients of federal financial assistance in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Amended guidance will be released when finalized. In the interim, civil rights and nondiscrimination laws and regulations remain in effect, along with related compliance and enforcement requirements

Additional Topics

National CACFP Week: Stirring Up Goodness

National CACFP Week is on March 15-21, 2026! CACFP Week is a national education and information campaign sponsored annually by the National CACFP Association (NCA) the third week of March. The campaign is designed to raise awareness of how the CACFP works to combat hunger. It's a good opportunity to let people in your community know about the program and how it benefits our children and other participants.

We hope to take this opportunity to thank all our program operators and CACFP staff for all the work that you do to get nutritious meals to the kids in your communities. We appreciate all that you do.

Please let us know how you are celebrating CACFP Week! You can send photos of any special activities to cnp.cacfp@alaska.gov  to get a special kit from the Institute of Child Nutrition.

Now Available: Revised CACFP Crediting Handbook

The revised Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program is now available online! This updated resource will help CACFP operators serve meals and snacks that encourage healthy choices, healthy families, and healthy outcomes. The Crediting Handbook is a technical assistance resource that helps CACFP operators plan menus that meet current USDA meal pattern requirements. The handbook works with the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs to help with crediting foods and planning meals. This resource provides information on the current CACFP meal patterns, crediting guidance for each meal component, a “Crediting in Action” section to practice crediting skills, and a list of helpful resources. The handbook was recently revised to make the guidance clear and consistent, add new crediting examples, and update the words we use to match current policy. Note: The Crediting Handbook does not contain any new policy or guidance related to the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030.” CACFP meal pattern requirements remain unchanged, as no updates to the regulations have been made.

Team Nutrition Resources

• CACFP Meal Pattern Training Tools
  • CACFP Meal Pattern Training Worksheets
  • CACFP Grains Ounce Equivalent Resources
• Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
• Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs
• CACFP Halftime: Thirty on Thursdays Training Webinar Series
• Team Nutrition Homepage

Contact Us

Child and Adult Care Food Program

• eed.cnp.cacfp@alaska.gov

School Meals

• eed.cnp.schoolmeals@alaska.gov

Summer Meals

• eed.cnp.summer@alaska.gov

Food Distribution Program

• eed.cnp.fdp@alaska.gov

Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program

• eed.cnp.ffvp@alaska.gov

Farm to School

• eed.cnp.fts@alaska.gov

The Emergency Food Assistance Program

• eed.cnp.tefap@alaska.gov

Child Nutrition Grants

• eed.cnp.grants@alaska.gov

Child Nutrition Financial Management

• eed.cnp.fm@alaska.gov

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement (English)

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;

Fax: (202) 690-7442; or

Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.