Child and Adult Care Food Program

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded child nutrition program that reimburses nonresidential child and adult care facilities for nutritious meals and snacks served to children and adults who are enrolled in care. The goal is to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults in care while promoting the development of good eating habits.

Interested in Operating the CACFP?

Who can participate?

• Nonresidential, licensed public or private, nonprofit child care centers or family day care homes.
• Head Start, Early Childhood Educational Assistance Program (ECEAP), outside-school-hours programs, emergency shelters, and at-risk centers meeting the CACFP requirements are also eligible.
• Certain adult care centers providing services to persons 60 years or older, or persons 18 years or older that are chronically-impaired or disabled, are also eligible.

Proprietary child care and adult care centers may participate if at least 25% of the participants in care are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

Watch the CACFP Overview Training to learn more about the Program and determine if CACFP is right for your organization.

• If you are an in-home child care provider, view the List of Family Day Care Home Sponsors to find a Sponsoring Organization that provides coverage to your county. Contact the Sponsor directly to apply to the CACFP.
• If your organization would like to enter into an agreement directly with OSPI and operate CACFP as a Sponsor, visit the New Sponsors webpage.
• If your organization would like to enter into an agreement with an existing Sponsor and operate CACFP as an unaffiliated site, please contact the following organizations that provide coverage to your county. Contact the Sponsor directly to apply to the CACFP.

CACFP Sponsoring Organizations by County

County	Sponsor Name & Address	Contact
King	City of Seattle Child Care Nutrition Program Seattle Municipal Tower 700 5th Ave, Suite 5800 PO Box 34215 Seattle, WA 98223	Adrienne Easter 206-386-1887 childcarenutrition@seattle.gov
Clallam, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Pierce,  San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom	Mountainview Daycare Nutrition Program 3131 Smokey Point Dr, Suite 5A Arlington, WA 98223-0902	Janice West 360-653-7273 1-800-631-1118 janice@mdnp.org in-box@mdnp.org
Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Walla Walla, Yakima	Catholic Charities dba Catholic Family & Child Service 4704 Tieton Drive, Suite A Yakima, WA 98908	Kristie Patrick 509-965-7107 1-800-449-9005 kpatrick@catholicchsritiescw.org
Grays Harbor, South King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Thurston	Metropolitan Development Council dba Making a Difference in Community 945 South Fawcett Tacoma, WA 98402	Cynthia Day 253-284-7865 cindy@mdc-hope.org childnutrition@mdc-hope.org www.mdcfoodprogram.com

If you have questions or would like more information, contact us at CACFP@k12.wa.us.

Sponsors Administering the CACFP

Program Operations & CACFP Requirements

• CACFP Requirements and Materials
• Child and Adult Care Food Program Newsletter Updates
• Claims and Reimbursement Rates
• Meal Patterns and Menu Planning- Discover the components of the nutritious, well-balanced, and age-appropriate meals served.
• Purchasing/ Procurement for Federal Programs - Sponsors are reimbursed through OSPI with funds from the USDA. Receiving public funds means sponsors are responsible to follow ethical business and purchasing practices set by USDA regulations.
• Training- Required and optional CACFP trainings. All sponsors must meet training requirements.

Elevate Your Program

• Farm to CACFP- Farm to Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) means the inclusion of locally produced food and/or nutrition or agriculture education in the CACFP. Farm to CACFP programming is recommended a best practice in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
• Power Up Your Afterschool Program with Team Nutrition - The USDA's Team Nutrition initiative supports training and nutrition education to enhance child nutrition programs.
  • 2025-26 Recruitment Flyer - If you serve school-age children as an At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program or Outside School Hours Care Center sponsor, join us for Power Up Your Program. This unique learning opportunity is designed to bring Child Nutrition Program peers from across Washington together to learn, network, and act on similar goals over the school year. Register by June 30, 2025 to save your space in one of three pathways: Nutrition Education, Culturally Inclusive Meals, or Program Promotion & Marketing.

Caring For Children At Home

If you provide care for children from your house, you could be eligible to receive reimbursements for meals you serve! Family Day Care Homes (FDCH) is an organized nonresidential child care program for children, generally 12 years of age or younger, operated in a private home, and licensed or approved to provide care. In order to participate in CACFP, FDCHs must enter into an agreement with a sponsoring organization.

For more information, please visit our Family Day Care Home (FDCH) sponsor webpage.

Afterschool Programs

If your organization provides a meal or snack and educational or enrichment activities, afterschool, you could receive reimbursement! The At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program offers funding to afterschool programs that serve a meal or snack and provide educational or enrichment activities to children in low-income areas.

Nondiscrimination Statement

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.