Child and Adult Care Food Program and Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

Good afternoon:

 

One of Ohio’s highest priorities during the ordered daycare closure period is to ensure that children receive nutritious meals. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsors have two options:

1. If the locations in which sponsors normally serve food are closed and food service ceases, sponsors may shift to serve non-congregate meals; or
2. Sponsors may seek to obtain approval to operate under temporary pandemic child care center licenses and continue to serve congregate meals.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sponsor sites that normally serve food but are now closed may continue serving non-congregate meals and claim and serve meals in non-congregate settings under the CACFP.

 

Of these programs, sponsors operating as centers or family day care homes may feed only enrolled children; they may not serve non-enrolled children (that is, they may not operate as open sites). After-school at-risk sites may continue to operate as open sites and serve any child. For after-school at-risk sites, the on-site enrichment activity requirement is waived.

 

CACFP sponsors opting to serve non-congregate meals during the ordered daycare closure period must complete and submit the Feeding Children Using Non-Congregate Meal Service During Coronavirus (COVID-19) Related Public Health Emergency survey. Sponsors must submit the survey to serve non-congregate meals.

 

CACFP sponsor sites that continue to operate under a temporary pandemic child care license may continue to serve congregate meals under the CACFP. Be advised of restrictions on group numbers in pandemic child care programs. The limit is six children and one adult per room and sharing communal space is not advised.

 

The Emergency Feeding Application Process for Schools and Sponsors provides information for CACFP sponsors during this closure including the application process, non-congregate feeding options available and other considerations. Continue to check this document for additional information.

 

Thank you for all you are doing to serve Ohio’s children during this time! We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available. Please continue to check the Ohio Department of Education website and coronavirus.ohio.gov for more updates.

Office of Integrated Student Supports
Ohio Department of Education
614-466-2945
1-800-808-6325
child.nutrition@education.ohio.gov