Celebrating the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

By Nicole Garro, MPH on March 18, 2024

On March 10-16, we will celebrate National CACFP Week! 

Why?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is an essential federal program that addresses hunger and builds healthy eating habits by providing reimbursement for nutritious foods to children enrolled for care at eligible child care programs, including child care centers, home-based programs and after-school care. Every day, 4.2 million children receive healthy meals and snacks through CACFP, supporting their health, well-being and development. We celebrate the Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs) across the country who serve as CACFP sponsors and the child care programs who participate in CACFP. 

Topics: Health & Safety

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New Resource: Child Care Emergency Preparedness, Response and Recovery Partnership Toolkit for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies

By Jillian Ritter on March 15, 2024

Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) play a vital role in supporting child care providers in their emergency preparedness, response and recovery efforts through training and technical assistance for child care providers, but also through systems-building and strengthening efforts. Partnerships are key in supporting child care emergency preparedness, response and recovery. Child care emergency preparedness, response and recovery takes collaboration to be successful.   

Topics: emergency preparedness

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Beyond the Map: How States Are Using Story Maps to Strengthen CACFP

Since 2019, Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) has partnered with Nemours Children’s Health to create geographic information system (GIS) technology story maps to visualize and better understand child care program participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Story maps combine both maps and text to help users interpret what they see. They can help us visualize current challenges and opportunities in a state’s early care and education systems. 

This blog recaps our work to develop the story maps and explores how states, including Pennsylvania and Vermont, are using these tools to make data-informed, strategic decisions to promote CACFP and increase provider participation.

Topics: Policy & Advocacy, Health & Safety, Data & Research

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A Funder’s Perspective: Partnering for Resiliency

By April Dodge-Ostendorf on March 08, 2024
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You’re Speaking My Language: Increasing Access and Opportunity through Translation

By Elizabeth López Acevedo on March 08, 2024

There are approximately 67.8 million individuals (about twice the population of California) for whom English is not their primary language spoken at home. The United States Census Bureau indicates that the number of individuals speaking a language other than English at home increased from 23.1 million in 1980 to 67.8 million in 2019. According to the Census, the five most frequently spoken languages other than English are Spanish/Spanish Creole, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic. The accessibility of resources and support in languages other than English can have a significant impact on families seeking child care finding a setting that is reflective of their language and culture. Unfortunately, access to resources, information and professional development (PD) opportunities in other languages for members of the child care workforce is limited.  

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What to Read Before the State of the Union

Topics: state of the union

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