FLORIDA HEALTH PARTNERS WITH USDA TO PROMOTE CHILD CARE FOOD PROGRAM

TALLAHASSEE—The Florida Department of Health joins the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in promoting the Child Care Food Program, a federally funded USDA program that reimburses child care providers for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children.  The program is administered by the Department and ensures that participating facilities offer meals and snacks that meet or exceed federal and state nutrition standards.  Meals are available to all eligible participants without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Research indicates that early childhood nutrition plays a fundamental role in the cognitive growth and development of a child.

“Building lifelong healthy habits starts in childhood,” said State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. Celeste Philip. “The Child Care Food Program promotes healthy habits by exposing young children to nutritious foods to help them make healthy food choices. We encourage parents seeking child care in Florida to enroll their children in facilities that participate in this program.”

Lists of participating providers, organized by facility type, can be found at www.floridahealth.gov/ccfp/.

Those agencies serving Monroe County are:

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE KEYS AREA 1400 UNITED STREET, STE. 108 KEY WEST 3052962258
GRACE JONES COMMUNITY CENTER INC 230 41ST STREET, GULF MARATHON 3057436064
INEZ MARTIN CHILD CARE CENTER 1304 TRUMAN AVE. KEY WEST 3058095055
MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD 241 TRUMBO RD KEY WEST 3052931400
MWR – SCHOOL AGE CARE P.O. BOX 9027 NAS KEY WEST 3052934498
MWR-CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER P.O. BOX 9027 NAS KEY WEST 3052934498

The program is offered at four types of child care-related settings:

  • Child Care Centers:  In a non-pricing child care center, meals are available at no separate charge to eligible children.  In a pricing child care center, which has a separate identifiable charge for meals, children from households whose income falls within the reduced-price income eligibility guidelines are eligible for reduced-price meals.  These meals are priced at 40 cents for lunch/supper, 30 cents for breakfast, and 15 cents for snacks. Children from households whose income falls within the free income eligibility guidelines are eligible for meals at no charge.  Refer to the current Income Eligibility Guidelines listed below.
  • Family Day Care Homes:  Meals are available at no separate charge to eligible children.
  • Afterschool Programs:  The Afterschool Meals Program is a subcomponent of the Child Care Food Program.  Snacks and/or meals are available at no separate charge to eligible children.
  • Homeless Shelters and Certain Emergency Shelters:  The Homeless Children Nutrition Program is a subcomponent of the Child Care Food Program.  Meals are available at no separate charge to eligible children.

Head Start participants and children from households receiving Food Assistance Program or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits are automatically eligible to receive free meals benefits at participating facilities.

Below are the current Income Eligibility Guidelines used in determining a child’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals.

For more information on the Child Care Food Program, please visit www.floridahealth.gov/ccfp/.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov

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