The Healthy Kids, Healthy Future Technical Assistance Program has released a brief "How Child Care Stabilization Grants Can Improve Nutrition & Physical Activity" that lays out how Lead Agencies are allowed to use the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to improve nutrition, physical activity and CACFP participation.
The brief explains what the funds are and how state partners can think about using them as they work with Lead Agencies. The brief has a table of recommendations, sample activities and resources that can be used to apply this information. Many of the CACFP specific recommendations are for centers and family child care homes to purchase materials to enable them to participate on the food program.
There are a multitude of resources also captured here that one may want to take a look at regardless of the use of ARP funds. For example, we've heard a lot of questions and concerns about not using family style meal service as we try to provide the safest meals possible. Transitioning from Family Style Meal Service to Plated Meal Service: Maintaining Responsive Feeding and Responsive Eating in Child Care During COIVD-19 Pandemic might be a useful tool to consider as we continue to walk the line of pandemic recovery.
This brief can be found: How Child Care Stabilization Grants Can Improve Nutrition & Physical Activity.
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The CACFP Roundtable is committed to fostering a community of leaders who work together to build equitable access to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and nutritious meals in care settings. Your support goes toward programs and advocacy that help us get closer to ensuring everyone has the right to nutritious meals and making the CACFP an even better Food Program for all.