National Child, Adult Care Food Program Week Set

OSWEGO – The primary goal of the Child and Adult Care Food Program is to serve nutritious meals to children attending child care homes and centers.

Secondary goals are:

1. The establishment of positive eating habits at the earliest stages of development.
2. Reduction of future health care and education costs due to lack of proper early development.
3. Training and support of local child care personnel. Research also indicates that the CACFP is one important factor in providing quality child care.

During National CACFP Week, the Child Care & Development Council of Oswego County, a New York based non-profit sponsor of the CACFP, joins with county family child care providers in acknowledging the many ways our community benefits from the CACFP.

Children that are cared for by providers participating in the CACFP benefit by being fed nutritious USDA regulated meals that ensure their proper development.

These children gain from early nutrition education that helps them establish positive eating habits that will enrich the quality of their diet throughout their life.

Parents of children in child care are assured that their child(ren) receives high quality meals.

With proper nutrition, the child is less likely to experience illness and fatigue and will develop at a normal physical and intellectual pace.

Good nutrition is the recipe for an all-around happier child.

Providers receive nutrition education and support services from their CACFP sponsor that help them serve nutritious meals and create a positive eating environment for children.

The quality of child care provided in our community is improved due to educational and financial resources available to caregivers through the CACFP.

This program provides approximately two billion meals and snacks to more than 4.3 million children daily in child care center, family care homes and after-school programs.

In Oswego County, 41 providers are enrolled in the CACFP with approximately 485 children enrolled in their care.

Please join us in honoring all CACFP providers for their invaluable work done on behalf of the children in our community.

For more information about quality early childcare and learning, assistance finding child care services, or to start a child care business in your home, contact the Child Care & Development Council of Oswego County, a division of ICP, at 343-2344 or 1-855-437-9286 or visit www.icpoc.org.

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