What makes centers choose your program?

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We provide hot meals delivered straight from our stove to the centers. There are very few programs that send fresh homemade-style meals prepared and delivered daily. As a child care center, we understand the challenge of receiving frozen meals that need to be cooked because you lose the ratio. Our goal is to make sure that you can effectively supervise and educate children while providing them with meals that are both tasty and healthy, full of the nutrients necessary for the proper development.

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What makes your meals healthy?

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• Children get a great variety of different meals

• All our food is either made from scratch or purchased with a proper Child Nutrition Label​

• All the lunches are cooked the same day and arrive to the center hot and ready to serve

• We only serve real fruits and vegetables - no canned goods and no mixes with corn syrup

• All the meals consist of 5 components: protein, grains, two or more different vegetables or a fruit and a vegetable, and milk

• In the wintertime we serve soup

• Baby food is homemade which ensures fresh ingredients and appropriate proportions

• There is at least one whole grain component a day

• We limit sugar and do not use a fryer

• AM snacks consist of two components which vary daily

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Do we have to cook or bake anything?

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No. Some meals might require washing (ex. Apples) or light prep (ex. spread tuna salad on bread), but none of the meals require actual cooking.

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How can your meals be free?

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USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers CACFP through grants to States. The program is administered within most States by the State educational agency. In a few States it is administered by an alternate agency, such as the State health or social services department. The child care component and the adult day care component of CACFP may be administered by different agencies within a State, at the discretion of the Governor. Independent centers and sponsoring organizations enter into agreements with their administering State agencies to assume administrative and financial responsibility for CACFP operations. CACFP serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers (Ann Kids may provide only to centers, not day care homes).

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What is CACFP?

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USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program plays a vital role in improving the quality of day care and making it more affordable for many low-income families. Each day, 3.3 million children receive nutritious meals and snacks through CACFP. The program also provides meals and snacks to 120,000 adults who receive care in nonresidential adult day care centers. CACFP reaches even further to provide meals to children residing in emergency shelters, and snacks and suppers to youths participating in eligible afterschool care programs. CACFP is authorized at section 17 of the National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1766). Program regulations are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under 7 CFR part 226.

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What do you mean by a CACFP sponsor and

a sponsored center?

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CACFP sponsor assumes administrative and financial responsibility for the meals. Sponsored centers are day care centers that were accepted in the Ann Kids Food Program and need to properly serve and record the meals.

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Is there a lot of paperwork?

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There is only one already pre-filled form to mark meals daily and enrollment paperwork to be filled by families upon joining the program or annual renewal. Everything else is just email updates or initial/monthly copies of already existing records.

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How do the meals arrive?

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The meals arrive once a day: lunch, supper, and AM snack for the next day. Hot meals are delivered in aluminum foil trays that are kept in insulated containers to keep the temperature. All the refrigerated items are kept in coolers. Each center has an assigned driver who arrives every day at approximately the same time. Upon arrival, drivers use their infrared thermometers to check the temperature. Center staff receives an invoice, which he or she checks and signs that all the menu items arrived. Sometimes menu items may be substituted (if a distributor was out of a certain product). If a substitution takes place, it is marked on the invoice and center staff should mark it on the menu for parents to see. 

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Do we get milk for every meal?

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Yes, milk must be served with every meal. One-year-olds must receive whole milk. Children from two years and up must receive low-fat or fat-free milk. 

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Do you provide juice?

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Juice is considered a fruit equivalent, but we believe that children get juice at home more often than the real fruits, so we prefer to serve real fruits rather than substitute them with juice.

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How often does the menu change?

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The menu rotates every three weeks. However, our Chef likes to add new and delicious recipes. Also, we make the necessary adjustments any time USDA requirements change. 

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What if we have a child with dietary restrictions?

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If a child has a disabling dietary need, then we can make meal substitutions as long as there is a Medical Plan of Care filled out by a licensed medical professional. If a child has milk intolerance, we can provide lactose-free milk, but the form must still be filled out by the parent. Except for lactose-free milk, Ann Kids does not provide meal substitutions for any dietary preferences that are not disabling dietary restrictions. However, parents may substitute one component while their child still receives the rest of the components.

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What if we do not like something on the menu?

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We take all the feedback into consideration and if 50 percent of the centers are not happy with the menu item, we substitute it. 

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Is my center eligible to participate in your program?

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In order to be eligible for Ann Kids Food Program sponsorship centers must:

• be a licensed day care center

• have at least 30 children enrolled in CACFP for at least one lunch/supper (Smaller centers may apply for the pick-up option. Centers that joined before January 1st, 2017 are waived from this rule)

• if for-profit, receive title XX funds (CCIS or Head Start) for at least 25 percent of enrolled children or licensed capacity (whichever is less) or at least 25 percent of the children in care are eligible for free and reduced price meals

• successfully pass pre-enrollment center inspection

• submit a current Certificate of Compliance, Staff Validation Form, Latest CCIS Payment Summary/Head Start Agreement, Master Enrollment List, and CCIS Enrollment List, Food Serving License and ServSafe Certificate for PDE’s approval. Eligibility is defined monthly. Therefore, centers will be required to provide monthly CCIS payment summaries, CCIS attendance reports or a Notice of Award/Sub-Award Agreement for Head Start along with any other required paperwork

• sign an Agreement with Ann Kids

• be able to follow an assigned Meal Schedule

• provide current Enrollment Forms

• have portion control tools, freezer with thermometer, refrigerator with thermometer, heating equipment/insulated containers (food warmers), food thermometer, cleaning and sanitizing supplies, paper and plastic goods, gloves, potable water, printer, and email that is checked daily

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This sounds like a lot!

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It really isn’t. Most of these are the documents and tools that you already have. Everything else we guide you through. As long as you keep everything organized and follow the established rules, this program is easy to maintain.

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Do you serve family or group day care homes?

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No, unfortunately we do not serve family or group day care homes.

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What if our capacity is over 30

but we only have 20 children enrolled in CACFP?

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You will have to sign-up for a daily pick-up option. When you have over 30 children enrolled in the food program for at least one lunch/supper each you will be eligible to switch to delivery.

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What if we sign up for your program when we have over 30 children, but then several children withdraw from the program and it becomes under 30?

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You will have to switch to a daily pick-up option. When you have over 30 children enrolled in the food program for at least one lunch/supper each you will be eligible to switch back to delivery.

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How can you tell whether children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals?

 

Eligibility may be established by submission of an income eligibility statement, which provides information about family size and income. The information submitted by each household is compared with USDA's Income Eligibility Guidelines. Children whose families receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or State programs funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) are categorically eligible for free meals. Children who are participants of Head Start or Even Start programs are automatically eligible for free meals, without further application or eligibility determination. Foster children, who are the responsibility of the State or placed by the court, and children who are experiencing homelessness, are also automatically eligible for free meals.

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Do you charge families who are not eligible for free or reduced meals?

 

No, we do not charge anyone for meals.

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Then why do you need to know whether anyone is eligible for free or reduced meals?

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Centers’ eligibility depends on the number of children receiving title XX funds and on the number of children eligible for free or reduced meals. If the number becomes less than required, center becomes ineligible for CACFP and Ann Kids will not be able to send you meals. Also, the sole purpose of CACFP is to ensure that children from low-income families receive nutritious meals.

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What is a pre-enrollment center inspection?

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Prior to accepting you into our program, we must visit your site and make sure that you will follow all the CACFP requirements. The center must be clean and organized according to all the DHS regulations. Also, the center must have or must be willing to purchase portion control tools, freezer with thermometer, refrigerator with thermometer, heating equipment/insulated containers (food warmers), food thermometer, cleaning and sanitizing supplies, paper and plastic goods, gloves, potable water, printer, and email that is checked daily.

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What do you mean by a strict meal schedule?

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You may choose when you serve meals, but after you select the time, you will have to strictly follow it daily (except for field trips and early dismissals).

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Are center enrollment and child enrollment different?

 

Yes. First we enroll the center if the center is eligible. Then we enroll each child individually.

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What is the enrollment process for the children?

 

At the time of enrollment with the provider and before any child care is provided, an enrollment packet for each child must be filled by the parent or guardian and sent to Ann Kids in order for the child to start receiving meals. Only the parent or guardian may fill out the enrollment packet. All forms must be filled out completely, signed, and dated. Incomplete or illegible enrollment packets will not be accepted.

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What do you mean by enrollment packet?

 

Enrollment packet consists of Enrollment Form and Income Eligibility Form provided by Ann Kids, which are valid for twelve (12) months only. Forms must be renewed and signed annually by a parent or guardian of the child. Each participating center has an assigned renewal month. If a child joins any time in between, the forms must still be renewed on the assigned month, even if the form has not expired yet.

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Should we just give enrollment packets to parents so that they fill them out and bring back?

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Experience shows that you most likely will not get them back, and if you do then many will be incomplete. The best practice is to include these packets along with the rest of the paperwork that you have families fill out upon enrolling their children at your center. For renewals, set aside a week when you ask each parent to stay after the drop-off or before the pick-up for five minutes to fill out the forms. This way you can make sure that packets are complete, and it will be done in an efficient manner.

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How do we enroll infants in food program?

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Infants have two additional forms in the Enrollment Packet: Infant Enrollment Form and Permission Slip. Since Ann Kids provides homemade baby food, a permission must be acquired and menu approved. Families of breast-fed children should also fill out the forms. This way CACFP knows that each infant receives either breast milk or formula. Ann Kids offers several formulas to choose from.

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What if a family does not want to participate

in the food program?

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They must sign a Non-Participation form provided by Ann Kids. This is usually done in unique situations when family has dietary restrictions that Ann Kids cannot accommodate. However, you should encourage families to participate and explain the benefits of the program. Families may substitute one of the components. For example, vegetarian families may substitute the protein component, but benefit from all the other components. Ann Kids does, however, substitute components for children with disabling dietary restrictions. Therefore, you will be questioned about each child who does not participate, and your efforts of engaging the family will be evaluated. Also, your center’s percentage of free and reduced meals may get affected by this and you risk becoming ineligible to participate in the CACFP program.  

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What if a family does not want to fill out

the enrollment packet?

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Then unfortunately the child will not be able to receive any meals, so you should encourage families to participate, explain the benefits of the program, and assist them with the paperwork. It is the sponsored center’s responsibility to help families with paperwork and make sure that it is correct before submitting it to Ann Kids for review.

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Will the family’s current benefits be affected

by this program?

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No, none of the family’s current benefits will be affected by the CACFP program, so they should feel completely safe filling out the forms. Forms must be filled out completely without any blanks in order to be approved.

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Are the forms confidential?

 

Yes, the forms are completely confidential. No one has access to the forms except for Ann Kids review department and USDA, who sign confidentiality agreement and are bound by law to not disclose any personal information from the forms.

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How often should the Enrollment Packets be renewed?

 

Enrollment Packets must be renewed annually. However, during the center renewal month all enrollment forms must be renewed, even if the child just recently joined.

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What paperwork is required?

 

For the  initial center enrollment Ann Kids requires the following:

 

• Current Certificate of Compliance

• Validation Form (provided by Ann Kids)

• Ann Kids Food Program Signed Agreement

• Latest CCIS Payment Summary

• Notice of Award/Sub-Award Agreement for Head Start (if applicable)

• Master Enrollment List

• CCIS and HeadStart Enrollment Lists in Alphabetical Order

• Food Serving License

• ServSafe Certificate

• Child Enrollment Packets

 

For the regular paperwork submissions:

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• CCIS Attendance Invoice for each month submitted on the first Monday of the following month

• Enrollment Packets for every new child

• Meal Count Forms submitted every Monday

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Why do you need CCIS Attendance Invoice?

 

It is necessary for establishing centers’ eligibility. Centers’ eligibility is checked monthly.

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Do we send all the paperwork with the driver?

 

Yes, Ann Kids Driver is your mailman. Every time you send / receive documents, please make sure that an Authorized Center Representative, as well as Ann Kids Driver, sign a delivery slip. There is a lot of confidential information and we want to ensure that it is protected.

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What if I was not able to send the paperwork on Monday?

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Then you must scan and send copies of the paperwork and then send the originals the following day. Failure to send paperwork on time is one of the reasons for the termination of sponsorship agreement.

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How long do I need to keep all the copies for?

 

You must keep the copies of all the paperwork, including child records, meal counts, agreement, and menus for three years plus the current year.

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When and how do we submit the enrollment paperwork?

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Enrollment paperwork is required for every child receiving meals. Enrollment paperwork includes:

• Child Enrollment Form – must be filled out for every single child;

• Income Eligibility Form – can be filled out one per family;

• Infant Enrollment Form and Infant Permission Slip must be filled out in addition to Child Enrollment Form for all children under 12 months.

Centers must provide Ann Kids with the Enrollment paperwork for newly enrolled children upon their enrollment. You must help parents fill out all the paperwork, make copies for your center to keep, and send the originals to Ann Kids with the driver.

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What if an Infant is not ready for the attached menu?

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In that case we may send only formula and baby cereal. Baby food and other components can be introduced only when Parent/Guardian marks Infant’s readiness for the attached menu in the Infant Permission Slip.

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What are meal counts?

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Meal Count Forms are pre-filled forms with the names of all the enrolled children in your center. Every day during every meal you need to mark those children who are present and who received all the food components and milk.  

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How should the meal count forms be filled out?

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The meal count forms must be filled out at the point of service and only during the assigned meal time. You should only mark the children who received the meal. You should also mark the attendance column to keep records of who was present or absent that day.  

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What if a new child joins who is not in the list yet?

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New child’s name should be added to the meal count by hand at the bottom of the list for all weeks of the current month. The name is added in print to the next month’s meal count form by Ann Kids. The date of enrollment of new children should be marked in the meal count form in the corresponding column. Also, you must send us the enrollment paperwork upon the child's enrollment.

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When can we start receiving meals?

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For delivery, you will start receiving meals as soon as you are approved by CACFP and send at least 30 completed enrollment forms for all the enrolled kids to Ann Kids. For pick-up, you can receive meals as soon as you are approved by CACFP and send the completed enrollment forms for all of the children at your center.

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What if we have more questions?

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We host a group training annually and we are always available for individual trainings.

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