CACFP Week is March 10–16, 2024
CACFP week is coming! To celebrate, OSPI Child Nutrition Services is joining the National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) for its annual national education and information campaign. This campaign is designed to raise awareness of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program works to combat hunger and bring healthy foods to the table for participants of childcare centers, adult day services and day care homes across the country.
Help celebrate CACFP Week!
We want to celebrate you and highlight all your efforts!
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Submit nomination(s) for CACFP Excellence Award(s)
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Tell/Show us what CACFP Means to you!
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Propose discussion topics & view the CACFP Sponsor Advisory Council Panel Discussion
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Attend an ICN in-person culinary training during CACFP week!
CAFP Excellence Award
Who is eligible to receive the CACFP Excellence Award? Any individual or organization participating in the CACFP (centers, homes, schools, emergency shelters, food banks, etc.) or CACFP Sponsoring Organization can receive this award.
CACFP Excellence Categories include:
- Excellence in Food Service
- Excellence in Nutrition Education
- Excellence in Mealtime
- Excellence in Menu Planning
- Excellence in Leadership
- Excellence in Innovation
- Excellence in Inclusion
- Excellence in Oversight
Tell/Show us what CACFP means to you!
Submit statements, artwork, photos, or quotes describing what CACFP means to you, your staff/organization, and the families you serve.
Submit your Excellence Award Nomination here by Friday, March 1.
Propose questions & view the recorded CACFP Sponsor Advisory Council Panel Discussion in Canvas
The CACFP Advisory Council is made up of 10 Sponsors that operate various components of CACFP throughout the state. The council helps bring Washington state CACFP concerns to Child Nutrition Services and assists in driving changes to better our Program. The Advisory Council is hosting a panel discussion and they would like to hear from you! Submit questions or discussion topics you would like the council to address (ex. best practices, troubleshooting Program concerns).
This panel discussion will be recorded and posted in Canvas to view during CACFP Week.
Submit questions or discussion topics here by Friday, March 1.
Attend an ICN in person culinary training during CACFP week!
The Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition (CICN), a dedicated branch of the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), is thrilled to announce an exceptional opportunity for CACFP operators in WA. Join us for an exclusive, hands-on culinary training designed specifically to enhance your skills in preparing nutritious, delicious meals for children. Trainings will focus on Flavor Development & Fruit. Registration is limited to the first 24 participants in each class. Class is appropriate for direct line kitchen staff an in-home providers.
Location: Ellensburg School District Central Kitchen
Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
Register for the Fruits Training (7:45am -12:30 pm)
Learn best practices for incorporating fruit into CACFP menus using Child Nutrition-approved recipes.
Register for the Flavor Development Training (12:45 – 5:15pm)
Explore flavor development, the identification of basic tastes, layering flavors effectively, and the strategic use of herbs and spices.
CACFP Excellence Award recipients and CACFP testimonials will be highlighted the week of March 10 in our CNS Update as well as in Canvas.
We appreciate all that you do to ensure all participants receive healthy meals every day!
Team Nutrition is excited to announce new tools and food yields in the Food Buying Guide (FBG) for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-based Tool!
- The interactive flow chart on using the preparation yield demonstrates when to use the Preparation Yield factor in the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW).
- An Ounces to Pounds Calculator allows users to easily convert ounces to pounds and pounds to ounces to make converting units a breeze!
- New foods are available in the FBG! New additions consist of USDA Foods frozen mixed vegetables and a variety of meat items.
 Explore the Food Buying Guide today!
The USDA recently released the Supporting the Use of Traditional Indigenous Foods in the Child Nutrition Programs Cooperative Agreement on Grants.gov, which will award $2 million in total grant funding to up to four organizations. The purpose of this funding is:
- To provide regionally focused training and technical assistance for nutrition professionals in schools serving tribal communities.
- To increase procurement, preparation, and crediting of traditional Indigenous foods in schools serving tribal communities.
- To ensure that nutrition education is provided to accompany the traditional Indigenous foods that are included in meals.
Applicants must be led and staffed primarily by members of Federally Recognized Tribes and/or Native Hawaiians.
The grant funds may be used to support the use of traditional Indigenous foods in the Summer Food Service Program.
Additional Information:
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Register here for the February 13 (12:00 pm PT) informational webinar.
- Applicants must provide a Letter of Intent by February 19, 2024
- Submit proposals by March 18, 2024.
- Grant applications must be submitted through grants.gov.
The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) is offering virtual training sessions in February. These trainings are optional and intended for Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) operators.
Register Now!
Nutrition 101
Dates: February 26, 27 & 28, 2024
Time: 12:00 pm – 2:40 pm PT
Forecasting the Procurement of Foods
Dates: February 28, 2024
Time: 6:00 am – 10:00 am PT
Food Safety in Child Care
Date: February 29, 2024
Time: 6:00 am – 10:00 am PT
These sessions will not be recorded.
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Want to make your voice heard about how to make CACFP work better for childcare programs and families?
Participate in a nationwide survey of CACFP Sponsors and Providers being conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card! The goal is to collect YOUR recommendations for policymakers on CACFP based on YOUR experiences.
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Take the survey
The USDA released the Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule in August 2023. The final rule impacts the School Meal Programs, Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) with the goal to strengthen program integrity. To support the implementation of the final rule, the following policy memo was released:
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SP 21-2023, CACFP 10-2023, SFSP 12-2023: Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule – Provides an overview of the provisions codified in the final rule and the compliance date for each provision.
For more information on the Final Rule, please visit the Child Nutrition: Program Integrity Final Rule webpage.
Questions? Please contact your CACFP Program Specialist.
We know it’s wintertime, but the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is already on our mind!
It's time to start thinking about Summer Meals, and what better way than a kickoff event!
If you are interested in operating SFSP, please join us for a short webinar to meet staff, discuss training, and hear about 2024 SFSP plans.
This includes a presentation from SFSP Community Sponsor- Global to Local, in partnership with the American Red Cross, on how to maximize successful summer feeding.
Register for the 2024 SFSP Kickoff Webinar
Date: Tuesday, February 13
Time: 3–4 pm PT
In summer 2024, Washington State will launch Summer EBT, “SUN Bucks”, a new grocery benefits program that provides families $120 for each eligible school-aged child to buy groceries when school is out. The new, permanent program is in addition to free meals that kids of all ages can get at summer meal sites in their communities.
Benefits of Summer EBT:
- Helps parents and caregivers buy healthy foods for their children.
- Gives families the flexibility to select foods that fit their culture and lifestyle.
- Improves food security and diet quality for participating children.
Eligibility:
- Children who live in a household already receives assistance program benefits (SNAP, TANF, FDPIR), OR
- Child attends a school that operates the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program (NSLP/SBP), AND
- Is directly certified for free and reduced-price school meals, or
- Submits a qualifying free and reduced-price meal application, or
- Submits a qualifying Family Income Survey (FIS), or
- Submits a Summer EBT application
Help Families in Your Community:
- Spread the word to families in your community! Use the Summer EBT Outreach Toolkit to promote the program with families.
- Encourage families who may have eligible children to submit a free and reduced-price meal application or Family Income Survey.
- Encourage families who receive free and reduced-price meal benefits to update their mailing address.
- Inform households that participation does not impact immigration status.
Questions? Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/sebt.
To support sponsors in integrating local foods into your meals, OSPI CNS is excited to feature Harvest of the Month resource sheets. Each month we will highlight one local food that will be in season the following month. The resource sheets will include fun facts, nutritional information, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and educational resources.
For March, we are featuring wheat. Click here to check it out. You can find this, and future Harvest of the Month resource sheets on our Farm to CACFP webpage.
Farm to School Networking Events
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) Farm to School Team is visiting several locations around the state to bring together school food buyers and agricultural producers to support new Farm to School purchasing relationships. Join a one-hour facilitated networking session to learn about successful partnerships and meet one-on-one with interested farmers and food producers.
February 2024 Locations and dates:
Okanogan
Department of Transportation - 28862 US-97
Date: Tuesday February 13, 2024
Time: 10:00–11:00am
Nespelem
WSU Extension Colville Reservation - 22 Nespelem/San Poil St
Date: Tuesday February 13, 2024
Time: 3:00–4:00pm
Colville
WSU Extension Stevens County - 986 S Main St D
Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Time: 11:00am–12:00pm
Register here at least one day in advance. This is a free event, coffee and light refreshments provided.
Additional events are tentatively planned for Yakima and Walla Walla. Check here for details.
WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant: 2023–2025 Round 2 Application Open Soon
The WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant is a competitive reimbursement grant available to schools, childcare centers, and summer food service programs for the purchase and use of Washington-grown foods in child nutrition programs.
Timeline:
- Round 2 Grant Period: July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025
- Application Opens: late February/early March 2024
- Application Closes: April 2024
- Awards Announced: June 2024
Who Can Apply in Round 2:
- Active Program operators of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP-childcare), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or Seamless Summer Option (SSO).
- Family Day Care Home providers may not apply individually, but they may participate through the organization that oversees them.
- Tribal schools and Tribal early learning centers.
Recipients of a 2023–25 Round 1 WSDA Purchasing Grant are not eligible to apply.
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February 15
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January Claims Due in WINS
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February 29
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December 60-Day Claiming Deadline—if you haven't already, submit your claim
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March 1
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CACFP Week Submissions Due
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March 10–16
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CACFP Week
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