SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced the income eligibility guidelines for free and reduced-price meals at participating child care centers across the state. Programs participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program served approximately 46 million meals last year, according to information collected by ISBE. CACFP is administered by ISBE and funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
All participating child care centers and daycare homes must provide meals to enrolled children at no additional charge. Parents or guardians should contact their child care center or daycare home provider to find out if they participate in CACFP.
“We are very proud to administer the CACFP program at ISBE, and we thank our many program sponsors that contribute to the healthy growth and development of young children with meals and snacks,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala.
CACFP is a federal program that provides reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children enrolled for care at participating childcare centers and day care homes. CACFP also provides reimbursements for meals served to children and youth participating in afterschool care programs and children residing in emergency shelters. There are also reimbursements for meals served to adults over the age of 60 or living with a disability and enrolled in day care facilities. The Department on Aging administers the adult portion of CACFP in Illinois.
Reimbursements for program sponsors are based on Income Eligibility Guidelines, which are updated annually by the USDA. Families may be asked to complete an application and provide income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program information.
Non-Discrimination Statement
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 Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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 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: [email protected]