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The Western Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extended the automatic eligibility of participants in Washington State’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) for a one-year period.
Institutions that feed and claim children enrolled in ECEAP are not required to collect income applications. Children enrolled in ECEAP are automatically eligible for free meal benefits without further application or eligibility determination.
B029-21 Waiver of Eligibility for Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program
The waiver covers children participating in child care centers that claim meals under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and children participating in child care centers that claim meals under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).
All Child Nutrition bulletins can be located on OSPI's Bulletins and Memos webpage.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
Lunch n’ Learn webinars are short, concise, “power sessions” on specific CACFP-related topics. Most of the topics are based on sponsor suggestions and we will be presenting a different one each month through September!
Register Here
Date: Wednesday, May 26
Time: 1:30–2:00 pm PT
During this webinar we will discuss:
- Compliance Requirements for Annual Staff Training
- How to make the most out of conducting staff training through planning and execution
- Best practices for both independent centers and sponsoring organizations
- Staff Training Resources
- Questions and Answers
CACFP Annual Training
This year has three components, all CACFP sponsors must certify completion of all training requirements when submitting their Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) sponsor application. Training requirements include:
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Ounce Equivalents 101- Grains are an important part of meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Starting October 1, 2021, all program operators will be required to use ounce equivalents (oz. eq.) when menu planning. Discover what “Ounce Equivalents” are and how to implement them.
- The CACFP Annual Updates Webinar - Join us as we discuss the past year, renewal updates, and looking ahead to FY 2022.
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Child Care, At-Risk Community, and Family Day Care Home Sponsors
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Adult Care Center Sponsors
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At-Risk School District Sponsors
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Annual Civil Rights Training - This session will review the basic requirements of Civil Rights requirements when operating the CACFP. This recorded session will be posted to Moodle by July 15.
Unable to Attend a Live Session? No Worries!
If you are unable to attend any of the live sessions, you will be able to watch the recorded trainings to meet your training requirements. We anticipate recordings will be posted to the CACFP Annual Training Moodle course by July 15, 2021.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released SP 11-2021, CACFP 10-2021, SFSP 06-2021: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs - Revised.
This memo provides guidance to Child Nutrition Program operators regarding Sections 743, 764, 767, and 789 of Division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 which. The memo was revised to correct the timeframe intended by Congress for Section 743:
- Allows the substitution of vegetables for fruits under the School Breakfast Program - effective through School Year 21–22.
- Prohibits funds from being used to procure raw or processed poultry products from the People’s Republic of China in Child Nutrition Programs - effective through September 30, 2021.
- Provides guidance related to pricing of paid lunches for the National School Lunch Program, during school year 2021-2022.
- Allows the offering of low-fat (1% fat) flavored milk in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program - effective through September 30, 2021.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Program renewal application deadline for Federal Fiscal Year 2021–22 (FY22) is now September 1, 2021.
This change is to better meet United Sates Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations and will help OSPI Child Nutrition Services maintain compliance surrounding sponsor oversight.
There will be changes to how sponsor budgets must be completed and how administrative costs are tracked. All costs, including food, require prior approval before the cost is incurred. Therefore, budget submissions must be approved prior to the start of the new fiscal year (no later than September 30, 2021).
What does this mean for CACFP sponsors?
- Renewal applications are due by September 1, 2021.
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WINS will open for renewals on July 1, 2021.
- This allows time to complete and submit all sections of the renewal application prior to the deadline.
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CACFP Annual Training
- Meal Distribution Plan and Waiver Request Survey for SY 21-22, FY 22 will go live July 1, 2021.
OSPI Child Nutrition will support this transition by providing:
- Training and Technical Assistance.
- Information and resource materials for the renewal process.
- Reminders of renewal due dates via CACFP Newsletters, OSPI Annual Training and the CACFP webpages.
Renewal resources will be released in the coming weeks.
Questions? Please contact your OSPI CNS Program Specialist.
CACFP specialists are hosting office hours in the coming months. These meetings may be conducted as facilitated discussions highlighting several topic areas, or as a platform for Questions & Answers and open dialogue.
Office hours are meant to be a safe space to learn more about CACFP operations from discussion topics or from the questions other sponsors bring forward. You are welcome to bring your questions or just plan to listen in.
Register to attend an upcoming session!
- Jeannette Green – Open Q and A
May 18, 1–2 pm
- Kendra Vandree – Farm to Summer
May 18, 2–3 pm
- Molly Gleason – Open Q and A
May 20, 12:30–1:30 pm
- Terri Adolfson – Infant Meals
May 24, 2:00–3:30 pm
- Jessica Condron – Open Q and A
May 24, 10–11 am
- Nicki Christoferson – Open Q and A
May 27, 2:30–3:30 pm
Child Nutrition Services (CNS) invited the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) to conduct several FREE trainings over the coming year. These sessions can be attended by any food services staff, and they offer Professional Standards.
There is a limit of 2 participants from each center per training. We will be offering sessions more than once so there will be more opportunities to attend later in the year.
Trainings
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Basic Culinary Math - This training allows participants to review and practice basic culinary math skills and focus on key skills such as measuring and converting measurements, scaling recipes, and calculating food costs.
Sign-Up Here
Date: Tuesday, May 25
Time: 12 - 4pm PT
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Food Safety Basics - This session is designed to provide a basic understanding of food safety. Lessons include methods for training staff, how to prevent foodborne illness, and resources for monitoring.
Sign-Up Here
Date: Thursday, May 27
Time: 12 - 4pm PT
Registration Information
Participants register for the training using the pdEnroller platform.
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Each participant must have their own pdEnroller account to sign up for the training if you do not have one currently. You may use this link to create an account, if needed.
- Make sure to edit your profile to include your STARS ID to make getting your STARS credits easier!
- Keep your confirmation email!
- This email is your portal to the training session and additional handouts for the training.
- Pro Tip: You can add events to your calendar via the event page, this way your Zoom access link is available from your calendar.
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Can't Attend?
- Log into your account.
- Select your name in the upper right hand corner.
- Click on 'My Events'.
- Upcoming events appear at the top of your screen, you should see the class and a 'Cancel Registration' button.
- You can cancel your registration at any time using pdEnroller.
- Waitlist Participants:
- PdEnroller notifies CNS of the number of interested participants and automatically creates a waitlist when the session is filled.
- If someone cancels their attendance, pdEnroller automatically notifies the next person on the waitlist and gives them an opportunity to register - keep an eye out in your emails.
IMPORTANT:
- The ICN requires a minimum of 15 registrants per session to conduct the training. If there are not a minimum of 15 registrants, the training will be canceled.
- There is a limit of 25 participants for each session.
Have Questions? Please email Samantha Brueske, Training and Communications Specialist.
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The Clif Bar Family Foundation awards grants for general organizational support or for specific projects that address their funding priorities. This includes reducing environmental hazards, creating a healthy food system, and building stronger communities. These grants could be used to support you with your meal program operations.
Learn more and apply here!
Deadline: June 1, 2021
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June 1
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March Claim 60-day Deadline - if you haven't already, submit your claim!
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June 8
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Required Oz. Eq. 101 Training | 1–2 pm PT | Register Here!
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June 10
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Required Oz. Eq. 101 Training | 10–11 am PT | Register Here!
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June 23
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FY21-22 CACFP Annual Updates Webinar for Child Care, At-Risk (Community), and Family Day Care Home Sponsors - Register Here!
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July 15
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FY22 CACFP annual required training posted in the CACFP Annual Training Moodle Course
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July 1
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FY22 Renewal opens in WINS.
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September 1
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FY22 Renewal applications due in WINS - Make sure your training requirements are complete!
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