We all know that our child care workforce is essential to fully repairing the harm of the pandemic and downstream effects have caused for our families with young children. Now is not the time to strip away funding and resources from child care providers, afterschool programs, and the children and families they serve -- which is exactly what will happen if USDA's Area Eligibility Waiver is not extended past June 30, 2022.
This waiver’s expiration represents an ominous funding cliff that will have severe impacts on children, families, and child care providers, particularly family child care providers. As one policy commentator put it, “a little-noticed meteorite is about to smash into family child care providers.”
The CACFP Roundtable sent an urgent letter to CDSS requesting the State seek an extension of USDA's Area Eligibility Waiver, which have a severe impact on family child care providers and the kids in their care. We urge USDA to do everything in their power to take this action for all states!
Read the letter and please share the message with your networks and policy leaders.
Questions? elyse@ccfproundtable.org or samantha@ccfproundtable.org
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.