The Child Care Food Program (CCFP) is a Child Nutrition Program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. The purpose of the CCFP is to provide reimbursement for nutritious meals and snacks served to children in child care settings. The program is administered in Florida by the Department of Health, Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Participating centers must be licensed by the appropriate child care licensing authority or be legally exempt from such licensure.
- Participating centers must be: 1) public or private nonprofit organizations, or 2) for-profit organizations whose enrollment or licensed capacity consists of at least 25% low-income children meeting specific criteria. Child care centers and outside-school-hours centers may participate in the program either with a sponsor or as independent centers. Family day care home providers who participate in the Child Care Food Program must be licensed and affiliated with a sponsoring organization.
Funding:
The Child Care Food Program will reimburse up to two meals and one snack or two snacks and one meal per child, per day.
- Reimbursable meals and snacks may be served to eligible children 12 years of age and younger; migrant children may be served through age 15 and children with disabilities may be served regardless of their age, with proper documentation on file.
- Reimbursement is determined by the number of eligible enrolled participants who are served creditable meals, and the current reimbursement rated set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Child Care Food Program.
Recordkeeping Requirements:
- Participating centers must keep daily attendance records, daily meal counts, dated menus and cost documentation to qualify for reimbursement.
Nutrition Requirements:
- Meals and snacks served to children must meet specific U.S. Department of Agriculture meal pattern requirements.
- The meal pattern includes milk, fruits and vegetables, meal (or meat alternates), and grains or breads in amounts specified by age.
