Dion Reid, a family child care provider in Rensselaer, NY has been participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for over 10 years. Her long-term participation in CACFP reflects her dedication to leveraging available resources to provide children with the best care possible, namely in nutrition and health.
QUALITYstarsNY interviewed Dion about her longstanding participation in CACFP
What has been the most meaningful part of being a CACFP participant for you and the children in your care?
For the children, it’s health. I’ve been able to provide more nutritious meals. For me, it’s the reimbursement. That’s why I don’t understand why more people don’t do it. It’s so beneficial, especially now when food prices are sky-high.
Can you share a specific moment or example where you saw CACFP make a real difference in your program?
I go food shopping for the program once a month at a wholesale retailer. When I see the prices recently, they’re crazy, but getting the reimbursement really helps. It makes a big difference in the amount and types of food I can buy. I can buy more vegetables and fruits, which are very expensive. I’m able to introduce foods to the children that they normally don’t eat at home. The families are excited that they are eating a balanced diet, including vegetables. Most of them won’t eat vegetables at home. In my program, they eat things like beans, carrots, broccoli, and celery and love it!
What would you say to another provider who doesn’t participate in CACFP yet?
I would tell them that it’s a good program for themselves and to provide good nutrition to the children. You spend your own money and you get the reimbursement back, which is a win-win. It may seem hard at first, but if you keep up with the paperwork daily, it’s definitely worth it! Now that everything is online, it’s much easier to input and track all of the meals daily. There is support from CACFP, and they walk you through everything. If I can do it, you can do it!
Learn More About CACFP
CACFP is a federally funded program that provides reimbursement for serving healthy meals and snacks to eligible children. Visit the Hunger Solutions New York website for numerous resources and answers to questions you may have about meal planning, reimbursements, maximizing participation, and general information about CACFP.
