Our History
As A Sponsor of the Child & Adult Care Food Program, Food for Kids Inc. Offers:
Day Home Providers
- Providers may electronically submit monthly food program claims on Minute Menu (web based program).
- Experienced and knowledgeable staff
- Toll-free help line for Provider Assistance
- Free Credit Hours in Nutrition through in-home study (via internet)
- Free workshops
- Direct Deposit of reimbursement funds
- Free Training Handbook
- Free nutrition newsletter
Day Care Centers
- Providing program services for over 16 years
- Experienced and knowledgeable staff
- Day Care Centers may submit monthly food program claims on a web based program
- Free Credit Hours in Nutrition through in-home study (via internet)
- Free workshops
- Free nutrition newsletters
- Free Training Handbook
- Direct Deposit of reimbursement funds
Afterschool Snack Program (At-risk Sites)
- Providing program services for over 16 years
- Experienced and knowledgeable staff
- Afterschool Snack Program may submit monthly food program claims on a web based program
- Free Credit Hours in Nutrition through in-home study (via internet)
- Free workshops
- Free nutrition newsletters
- Free Training Handbook
- Direct Deposit of reimbursement funds
Why Participate?
As a participant in the USDA Child & Adult Care Food Program, you can help young children get the meals they need to grow healthy and strong, fight against childhood obesity and early health problems.
How does the Program Work?
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federal program supported by your tax dollars. The Program was created by Congress in 1968 in response to the need to provide good nutrition to the children of working parents. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The Program helps family day care providers, day care centers, and afterschool snack programs improve the health and eating habits of the millions of pre-school and school age children in our country by offering free nutrition training and financial assistance. As an incentive, providers receive a monthly reimbursement check for the meals and snacks served that meet basic nutritional requirements.
Who is Eligible for Day Home Reimbursements?
Day Home Providers
All registered family and group day care homes that care for at least one non-residential child are eligible to participate in the Program and can claim meals served to the children in care.
All providers who are eligible for Program reimbursement will receive one of two types of payment, Tier I, the higher meal rates, and Tier II, the lower meal rate. To qualify for Tier I meal rates, you must 1) live in a low-income area as defined by USDA or 2) qualify on the basis of your household income. Tier I providers may claim their own residential children’s meals if their families meet these guidelines.
Eligibility Guidelines
New Income Eligibility Guidelines
Effective July 1, 2020- June 30, 2021
How many Meals can I Claim?
Providers can be paid for a maximum of two main meals (breakfast, lunch, or supper) and one snack or one meal and two snacks per child per day. Meals served after school or on weekends can also be claimed. Infant meals can be claimed for infants from birth until one year of age.
How do I get receive reimbursed and how much?
As a participant in the Program, you are responsible for keeping records of the types of foods you serve.
You are probably already serving meals that contain the designated food types for children of each age. Meal patterns and amounts are listed in detail in the handbook we provide for each of our participants.
What we ask of you:
1. Record your meal counts daily.
2. Record the menus and the changes in your enrollment.
3. Serve the meals on time.
4. Mail those records to us at the end of each month.
You should expect your reimbursement within 3-4 weeks of receipt of your Program records in our office.
Reimbursement Rates for Day Homes
Child and Adult Care Food Program Reimbursement Rates
Effective July 1, 2020- June 30, 2021
| Day Care Center Participation: |
a. A day care center may participate in the food program when the sum total of the enrolled children who receive Title XX benefits represents 25% or more of the total enrollment or licensed capacity of the day care center
The reimbursement of the day care center is determined by the percentage of free, reduced and paid for every meal served to enrolled children.
Training Information
| Day Home Providers |
Day Care Center Participation:
a. A day care center may participate in the food program when the sum total of the enrolled children who receive Title XX benefits represents 25% or more of the total enrollment or licensed capacity of the day care center
The reimbursement of the day care center is determined by the percentage of free, reduced and paid for every meal served to enrolled children.
Training Information
Day Home Providers
We offer free nutrition training to all providers providers (please see FFK Training Academy tab for more details). Go to the Newsletter/Workshop Link for specific updated information on times, dates and locations. Providers are required to have a minimum of one training hour annually. New providers must attend training within 60 days of starting the Program.
We offer the following Nutrition workshops for our providers providers (below are samples of some the workshops we offer):
- Off to a Good Start
- Selecting Creditable Foods
- Sanitation and Health
- Feeding Infants
- Planning Low Cost Menus
- Tickle Your Appetite
- Child Care Connection
- Menu Planning
- Serving More Fresh Fruits & Vegetable
- Cooking with Children
- Creditable, Cost Effective Snacks
Day Care Centers
We provide the same training as the day home providers; however the centers are required to attend 2 workshops each year.
We also have available for our clients, self-instructional materials in Nutrition, Sanitation, and Menu Planning that offer free credit hours for your childcare licensing requirements.
Food for Kids, Inc. does not discriminate against any individual based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, reprisal, religion, political belief, or sex orientation. If you believe you have been discriminated against, please contact:
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Food and Nutrition Services
Regional Director
Office of Civil Rights
1100 Commerce
Dallas, Texas 75242