AFTERSCHOOL MEALS AND SNACKS: - Hunger Free Colorado

Afterschool Meals and Snacks:Improved Nutrition, Improved EnrichmentAfterschool providers agree that meals and snacks attract children to outof-school-timeprograms and help them stay active and engaged in activitieswhile their parents are working. Providing healthy meals and snacks isparticularly important given the rapidly increasing prevalence of childhoodhunger. By providing healthy food, afterschool programs can play a criticalrole in preventing hunger and improving overall child health.What is the Afterschool Meal Program?The At-Risk Afterschool Meal program reimburses for nutritious mealsserved in afterschool enrichment programs. Funding is available through theChild and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to serve meals and snacks tochildren aged 18 and younger in low-income areas.The meal component is a new program that was made available toColorado through the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The Actextends eligibility for at-risk afterschool meal reimbursement to all statesparticipating in CACFP. Rather than just a snack, afterschool programs cannow serve a meal and a snack.AfterschoolProgramsAfterschool programscan work with an existingsponsor, such as a foodbank or school district,to provide the food andadministrative support.

AfterschoolMeals and SnacksWho Can Participate?What Are My Next Steps?To start receiving reimbursementfor the meals and snacks youserve, please contact theColorado Department of PublicHealth and Environment Childand Adult Care Food Program(CDPHE-CACFP). Call (303) 692-2330 to receive an applicationpacket.For more information aboutCDPHE-CACFP, visit cdphe.state.co.us, then click on “Divisions/Programs.”For more information aboutthe Afterschool MealsProgram or Hunger FreeColorado, please contact:Victoria Treskivictoria@hungerfreecolorado.org(303) 228-7990Schools, community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, forprofitorganizations and local governments that are located in low-incomecommunities are eligible to receive reimbursement for meals and snacks servedto children. At-risk afterschool care programs may participate as an independentafterschool program or through a sponsor. In addition, a school that participatesin “expanded learning time” may participate.To participate, programs must:• Provide care for children after school, on the weekend or holidays, or overschool vacations during the regular school year;• Provide organized, regularly-scheduled education or enrichment activities;• Be located in an area where 50% or more of the children are eligible forfree or reduced-price lunch; and• Keep daily attendance records of program participants• Keep menus, menu production records, and receipts for the purchaseof food and supplies for all snacks and suppers that meet thenutrition requirements• Record and report the total number of meals and snacks served each dayWhat Kind of Food Must I Serve?To be eligible for reimbursement, a meal must consist of five components: twodifferent servings of fruits and/or vegetables, one serving of grains, one servingof a meat or meat alternative and one serving of milk. Snacks must consist oftwo different components.Meals and snacks may be served hot or cold, and must meet local health andsafety standards. A typical afterschool meal is a turkey sandwich with lettuceand tomato on whole wheat bread, baby carrots, an apple and a glass of milk.Snacks may be as simple as a piece of fruit and a cheese stick or crackers and aglass of milk.How Much Reimbursement Can aProgram Receive?Federal reimbursement is given for one meal and one snack every day that theprogram operates, up to seven days a week during the school year only.Lunch/Supper = $3.0875 Snack = $0.78An afterschool program which serves 25 students has the potential to receive$17,403.75 by serving a meal and a snack every day of the school year!