Child care in a family setting in Watsonville, California

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is located at 18 West Lake Avenue in Watsonville, California, United States. This institution is a nutrition assistance program that reimburses food for licensed caregivers, providing healthy meals to support both children and adults in our community. CACFP is part of the Community Bridges family of programs. A nutrition consultant will visit your home three times a year to observe meal service and provide education on nutrition, health, and safety. This vital initiative offers financial support to eligible care providers for providing nutritious meals to infants, children, and adults in various care settings. Organizations and providers that participate in CACFP adhere to USDA nutritional guidelines and receive cash reimbursements for qualifying meals. Child care centers, adult day care centers, afterschool programs, and emergency shelters can engage with CACFP independently or through a sponsoring organization like Community Bridges. Day care home providers are exclusively part of the CACFP through a sponsoring organization. Interested organizations can contact Community Bridges' CACFP program to participate in the program. For additional information, visit the California Department of Social Services CACFP website. Eligible organizations must meet certain requirements to participate in CACFP under components like Child Care, Adult Day Care, Emergency Shelter, At-risk Afterschool Meals, and Day Care Homes. To apply for CACFP, organizations must contact Community Bridges, attend an orientation session, complete an agreement form and site applications, and have parents complete enrollment forms for each child. Home visits will be conducted after orientation, and providers can start keeping records for reimbursement. For more information, interested care providers can visit the USDA CACFP website. Additionally, there are resources available for child care providers to promote health and prevent childhood obesity, such as curriculum, training, and tips on healthy eating on a budget. Parents can also access resources for reading to children and cooking healthy meals. The SHINE program offers Meal Quality Forums to enhance the nutrition environment of early child care programs through the CACFP Meal Pattern. Tips are also provided for parents to help kids maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity.