Federal Program Offers Day-Care Meal Assistance

TRENTON — All day-care facilities and their clients should be aware that children and adults enrolled in day-care facilities may be eligible for free meals through the Child and Adult Care Food Program, according to New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded program that reimburses sponsoring agencies that provide healthy meals and snacks at no charge to children and adults enrolled in licensed or approved day-care facilities or family day-care homes.
Meals are available at no separate charge to all enrolled participants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and are served without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Following are the Income Eligibility Guidelines used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals for the period from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016:
Eligibility Income Scale:
Effective from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016
Family Size – Free Yearly Income – Reduced Yearly Income
1 – $15,301 – $21,775
2 – $20,709 – $29,471
3 – $26,117 – $37,167
4 – $31,525 – $44,863
Each Additional Family Member – +$ 5,408 – +$7,696
The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federal program of the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The U.S Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.