USDA Child Care Food Program – is a federal government program that gives cash reimbursement to child care providers for the nutritious meals and snacks they serve the children in their care. ChildSavers is part of a nationwide network of sponsor agencies that administers the federal USDA Child Care Food Program. Any regulated or voluntarily registered family child care provider can contact us about participating in this program.

The program has many benefits:

Child care providers – This program increases your profits. We train and provide you with help in providing healthy meals and snacks to the children in your care. You keep records of those meals and snacks prepared and served to the children. Each month, you submit those records and receive reimbursements for food expenses, which helps make those meals more affordable to you as a child care provider.

Children age 12 and under – Eating meals and snacks with appropriate servings of milk, meat or other protein products, fruits and vegetables, and grains/bread keeps them healthier, and helps ensure that they will learn and behave better. Just as important, they learn proper eating habits for a lifetime! An emphasis on the benefits and importance of physical activity is also a component of the program.

Parents – You benefit by knowing your children are getting the proper nutrition. Also, because this program supplements your child care provider’s income, it helps to keep child care affordable while improving the quality.

For additional information, you can contact Tiffany Branch, USDA Program Manager at (804) 644-9590, ext. 3024 or by e-mailing tbranch@childsavers.org. Additional information about the USDA Child Care Food Program and/or Child Nutrition can be found at the following links.

USDA Child Care Food Program
The Child Care Nutrition Resource System
My Pyramid
Child Care Bureau Fit Source

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