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Check out the CACFP Memo Page for a list of all memos and announcements.
On September 28, 2023, ODE CNP released a memo titled Child Nutrition Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Public Notification Policy which went over actions that must be taken by Child Nutrition Sponsors as a result of a recent Management Evaluation by USDA.
Information on the first action, on updating the Non-Discrimination Statement (NDS) and posting the current full statement on Sponsor webpages, was included in our September Knowing and Growing newsletter. Child Nutrition Specialists have contacted their Sponsors to update the NDS during and post-renewals.
The second action requires Sponsors to notify applicants with disabilities and/or limited English proficiency (LEP) of their right to free accommodations and free language assistance (DR 4300-03, 6(c)).
What Sponsors will need to do:
Notify families of the right for free language assistance for LEP persons and for free disability accommodations and provide the services upon request.
Notification can be posted on program webpages, included in enrollment information, or sent out through program communications such as newsletters or other online postings. Sponsors must have a record of how this information was distributed.
Additional guidance from USDA was linked in the memo sent last week. If more guidance is needed, please reach out to your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist
For Sponsors with Infants in care only.
On September 20, 2023, USDA released the updated Feeding Infants and Meal Pattern Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program memo. This revision incorporates updated breastmilk storage recommendations, infant formula food safety considerations, information on crediting grains in ounce equivalents, and includes four new questions and answers. This memorandum supersedes CACFP 02-2018: Feeding Infants and Meal Pattern Requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program; Questions and Answers, October 19, 2017.
For Sponsors with Afterschool At-Risk Sites and FDCH Providers only.
The Fiscal Year 2024 CACFP and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) participant area eligibility data are now available! This data is updated by USDA every year based on information provided by the Census Bureau. This information is used to establish area eligibility for At-Risk sites and Family Day Care Home (FDCH) provider tiering.
The map is available here: FNS Area Eligibility Website
The data in the map is effective October 1, 2023. The map works best in Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
While Sponsors are done with renewals for this year, Sponsors who are interested in opening new At-Risk sites or would like to see if a previously ineligible site has changed in eligibility percentages are encouraged to check the map. FDCH Sponsors can use this information to tier new providers or re-tier current providers.
For Child Care Centers, Head Starts, and Family Day Care Home Sponsors only.
WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children. This program offers nutrition education, breastfeeding support, healthy foods, and health screening and referrals to pregnant people, new and breastfeeding moms, and children under 5 years old. Eligibility for this program meets similar income requirements as CACFP Free and Reduced Price income requirements, and families who qualify for Free or Reduced Price meals may also qualify for WIC.
7 CFR 226.15(o) requires that all Child Care, Head Start, Family Day Care Home Sponsors and Providers post or provide current information on WIC so that potential participants are notified of the availability of this program.
For Child Care Centers and Head Start Programs, Sponsors can meet this requirement by posting Oregon WIC Outreach Posters and including the address of the nearest WIC office on the poster.
Family Day Care Home Sponsors must also notify their providers on WIC benefits and their income eligibility guidelines. Providers must make this information available to parents and guardians of all enrolled children. Oregon WIC has an order form for outreach materials.
If you have questions about this requirement, reach out to your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.
Are you wondering what CACFP tasks need to be completed in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024? ODE CNP has created a FY 2024 CACFP Sponsor Calendar that provides a month-by-month outlook with important dates and recommended tasks.
Some of the items on this calendar are estimated dates only and ODE CNP will plan to update the calendar over the year. Some of the tasks will only apply to specific Sponsor types and are marked as such on the calendar.
Sponsors with questions about specific dates or tasks are encouraged to reach out to their assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.
For Child Care Center, Adult Day Care Center, Outside School Hours Child Care, and some Head Start Sponsors only.
In last month's Knowing and Growing Newsletter, the One Month Enrollment Roster (OMER) article went over documents that must be collected, including the Child Enrollment Forms (CEF) and Confidential Income Statements (CIS). October is a good time to review the following information as forms are rolling in:
- Are submitted CEFs and CISs complete? If not, return the form to the families before the end of October and ask them to complete the missing sections. Some Sponsors highlight incomplete sections to facilitate this process.
- Has the Determining Official at your site(s) reviewed the returned CIS and signed and dated them by October 31, 2023?
- Have you checked your October enrollment roster and/or attendance records against your October 2023 OMER and ensured that all attendees are listed on the OMER?
- If you have multiple sites and multiple OMERs, have you checked to ensure that participants who transferred site locations are only listed once on the OMER?
Questions about the OMER? Ask your assigned Child Nutrition Specialist.
This is a repeat article from last month.
The 2023-2025 Biennium Oregon Farm to CNP Non-Competitive Reimbursement Grant is now live! The biennium runs from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025. All Sponsors of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in good standing will automatically be opted in to this reimbursement grant.
Minimum awards will start at $3,500 and will be calculated using a formula based on the Sponsor's meal counts from July 1, 2022-March 31, 2023. All Sponsors were notified on July 18, 2023 via e-mail of the award amount they will be receiving.
Grants will be live as soon as the Sponsor returns the agreement, retroactive to July 1, 2023. All Sponsors must view the Mandatory Training (PowerPoint) and complete a Reimbursement Grant Training Attestation Form.
Additional information, including information on allowable and unallowable products, reporting requirements and timelines, and claiming procedures are available on the ODE CNP Farm to CNP Non-Competitive Reimbursement Grant page.
Not sure how to use your funds? Check out the Farm to School Combined Claims File to see what other Sponsors have bought in 2022-2023 with their funds.
Questions about Farm to CNP? Reach out to FarmtoCNP@ode.oregon.gov.
To kick off National Farm to School Month, ODE CNP's Farm to CNP team are launching the first ever Farm to School Podcast October 1st, where we serve up stories of kids lives that have been changed by eating local food and learning where their food comes from.
The podcast is a project by Oregon State University (OSU) and Oregon Department of
Education (ODE), funded by the USDA. It is hosted by Oregon Farm to School coordinators
Rick Sherman of ODE, and Michelle Markesteyn from OSU.
Why are we doing this?
“Farm to School” is defined as the three “C’s;” Cafeteria, Classroom and Community. Farm to
school programs do a great job with two of the three “C’S” – Cafeteria (serving local foods) and
Classroom (school gardens), but the third “C” (community, or parents of the classroom kids) is
a little tougher. The podcast aims to make Farm to School a household word!
Who is it for?
This podcast is for practitioners such as Teachers, Nutrition Service Directors and School
Garden Coordinators as well as parents and other community members.
How long are the episodes?
However long the content entails and the conversation flows. Each interview and episode is
unique and the length will be posted for each one. They’re designed for the person on the go:
while driving, at the gym, shopping or working out in the garden!
We live in Oregon and Pacific Northwest programs and experiences will be highlighted, but the
podcast is designed for a nationwide Farm to School audience.
The Farm to School Podcast will be available wherever you are able to find your podcasts. The
goal is to record at least two per month.
Listen to the first episode, “Farm to School in Remote Areas - Rikkilyn Starliper” here.
If you have worked in child nutrition long enough, you have probably been confronted with at least one of the many food myths that seem to surround these federally funded programs. Have you heard that child nutrition program meals are unhealthy, not fresh and certainly not at all tasty? Whenever or however these myths were created, they seem to be the one thing that remains consistent over the years. But that is exactly what they are…Myths…and it is up to us to market the truths of our programs and do a little bit of myth busting along the way.
But how do you get started?
The 2023 Annual Nutrition Conference of the School Nutrition Association provided some great tips for busting myths and misconceptions for any child nutrition program:
- Identify the Audience and the Messenger - Who is the most critical of your programs and who will be a good champion of your myth busting message?
- Identify the Channel - What is the best avenue for reaching your audience? Can you reach them through social media, newsletters, or in person events?
- Delivering the Message - Consider the tone or emotion of your message. Think about things creatively and imagine ways that will “hook” your audience and get them interested.
- The Power of Stories - Remember, a good story that shows your programs at their best can go a long way to dispelling any myths that may be out there. Consider those stories and the myths that you are trying to target.
- Engage Partners to Spread the Word - Leverage people, businesses and community organizations that you work with to share your stories and market your program in a positive light.
- Define Success - Though we may not be able to change all the opinions, all of the time, defining what success looks like for your program’s marketing efforts is important. Measuring and meeting that level of success provides continued motivation to do the amazing work that y’all do every day.
For more ideas, tools and resources to use in your myth busting marketing strategy check out:
Food Buying Guide Login Update
USDA is transitioning to a new login system for the Food Buying Guide. Currently, Sponsors and the general public can access the Food Buying Guide by logging in through an eAuthentication account or by logging in as a guest. Eventually the plan is to move all accounts through the Login.gov service.
What is Login.gov?
Login.gov is a secure government service used by the public to sign in to participating government agencies. With a Login.gov account, you can use the same username and password to access any agency that partners with Login.gov.
Why is USDA using Login.gov?
Login.gov is a shared service trusted by government agencies that allows the public to use one account and password for multiple participating government agencies. In addition to your password, Login.gov requires that you set up at least one authentication method to keep your account secure. This is multi-factor authentication (MFA). Login.gov uses MFA as an added layer of protection to secure your information.
What you need to know:
The transition to Login.gov will be implemented in a phased approach. Phase 1 is now active. The new eAuth login page was introduced that includes Login.gov as an option when signing in. The use of Login.gov will be optional for existing eAuth customer account holders during this phase; however, it is recommended that you begin using Login.gov when accessing USDA applications to enable the use of MFA as soon as possible. All eAuth customer accounts will eventually need to transition to Login.gov at a future date.
At this time, Sponsors who do not wish to create an account can continue to use the Food Buying Guide as a Guest User, however Sponsors who have saved recipes or crediting information may wish to link their eAuth account with a new Login.gov account.
To link an eAuthentication account to a new Login.gov account or to create a new Login.gov account only, take the following steps:
- Go to the Food Buying Guide
- Click on "Login or Create a Profile"
- Select "Customer"
- Select "Login.gov"
- Click on "Create an Account"
- Enter in your email address and complete the form
- Check your e-mail and follow the instructions on the e-mail
- Set up an authentication method
- Once the account is created, sign in with your new login information through Login.gov
- Once signed in, you will be prompted to link your eAuthentication account that you have used for the Food Buying Guide - you may choose to do so if you have one
Learn more:
To learn more about USDA’s transition to Login.gov visit the eAuth Frequently Asked Questions and the Login.gov web page.
If you have questions, contact cnpntab@usda.gov. If you have login issues, contact the eAuth Help Desk at https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/helpdesk/requesthelp.
Two New Food Buying Guide Training Modules
Team Nutrition released two new training modules featuring the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG). These modules provide a step-by-step tour through the Exhibit A Grains Tool and FBG Calculator available on the FBG Interactive Web-Based Tool and Mobile App. Each module provides an in-depth look at each tool and interactive knowledge checks to assist the learner.
Topics covered include:
- Module 4: Exhibit A Grains Tool
- Module 5: FBG Calculator
These modules and other trainings such as webinar recordings can be accessed on the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs: Training Resources.
Also check out modules 1, 2, and 3 on the Institute of Child Nutrition’s iLearn Portal.
Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, USDA also celebrates 12 years of MiPlato! MiPlato and MyPlate materials help to increase awareness of health and nutrition in English and Spanish languages.
This year’s National Hispanic Heritage Month theme is, Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One, and to celebrate we encourage everyone to spread the message of healthy eating… in Spanish (español) and English with these resources!
Sign Up for Spanish updates from USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service!
 Meghan Tschida, Community Team Manager
Deanna (DeDe) Poynor, Team Lead
Cathy Brock, Child Nutrition Specialist, Summer Food Service Program Outreach Coordinator
Natalie Bratton, Child Nutrition Specialist
Sarah English, Child Nutrition Specialist
Eliza Kondo, Child Nutrition Specialist
Darcy Miller, Child Nutrition Specialist
Kaitlin Skreen, Child Nutrition Specialist
Shannon Smith, Child Nutrition Specialist
Shirley Wu, Child Nutrition Specialist
Teresa Murray, Fiscal & Audit Analyst
Emma Ahern, Program Analyst 1
Ashlie Berry, Program Analyst 1
Community Nutrition E-mail box
Visit us on the web ODE CACFP
Upcoming CACFP Newsletters will be distributed around the first week of each month.
Subscribe to this newsletter: CACFP Newsletter Subscription
For previous ODE CNP CACFP newsletters, check out the ODE CNP CACFP Memo page.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 Complaint form or letter must be submitted 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; or
- fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
- email:
program.intake@usda.gov
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