Afterschool Meals

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) has an At-Risk Afterschool Snack/Supper component that provides funding to afterschool programs serving healthy meals and snacks to children and teens.

Why Operate CACFP?

For kids who might not have a meal waiting for them at home, CACFP At-Risk Afterschool programs can make sure that lunch is never the last meal of the day. In addition to providing much-needed nutrition, afterschool meal programs also offer a safe and healthy environment for students to connect, eat together, and participate in enrichment activities.

Legislation: Schools in which at least 50% of students qualified for a free or reduced-price lunch in the most recent ED534 report are required to participate in the Federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

This program is only available to schools that have a F/R rate of at least 50%. If you do not qualify but still want to offer afterschool snacks, check out the NSLP Afterschool Snack Service.

Child Care Centers may also participate in CACFP – visit the Maine DOE website for more information.

Getting Started

How to Start an At Risk After School Food Program: Step 1: Email Child Nutrition Email Child.Nutrition@maine.gov and let us know your district is interested in starting the program. Step 2: Watch Webinar Watch CACFP At Risk Webinar 101 and take Webinar quiz – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxS3E3F9OMM Step 3: Get set up on CNPweb Send the CACFP team the required documents and materials to be set up in CNPweb and receive your User ID and Password. Step 4: Complete Online Agreement Access and complete the CACFP Online Agreement via CNPweb. Step 5: Agreement Approved The district may claim meals from the beginning of the month in which the agreement is approved.

Webinar

Enrichment Activities

Part of participating in the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool Meal Program is offering an open-to-all educational or enrichment program. Here are some examples of enrichment activities from Maine CACFP sponsors:

  • Homework assistance
  • Nutrition education (staff-led or with support from SNAP-Ed, 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go, or FoodCorps)
  • Arts & crafts (staff-led or through partnering with ArtVan)
  • Civil Rights Club
  • Dance & movement classes
  • Partnering with JMG to offer career development

Tip: Full Plates’ Oakhurst Afterschool Meals Grant can help fund these enrichment programs!

Testimonials

Red and orange graphic with a quote from RSU 24's 21st CCLC Program Director Kristin McFarland, "Having CACFP meals offered in our 5 after school programs has provided a means of nutrition to many of our food insecure students. Our afterschool program students thoroughly enjoy sitting down around the table, family style, to enjoy their meals together."

“Kids need food to bridge the gap from the close of school until the family meal time. CACFP funding allows us to provide healthy food to bridge that gap.”

Mary Emerson, School Nutrition Director, Westbrook School Department

Additional Resources