In August 2024, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) approached Reinvestment Fund with a commitment to support the continued stabilization and growth of the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program, (CACFP), for childcare providers in West and Southwest Philadelphia. Through Healthier Together, CHOP invested $168,000 to support this effort. This investment resulted in eight grants awarded to community-based child-care centers. Three grants were provided to current CACFP self-sponsors to enhance their current operations, while five grants were awarded to providers applying to become CACFP self-sponsors, enabling them to expand their operations and offer more nutritious meals.
The eight grantees are listed below. An asterisk denotes which grantees are current self-sponsors:
Grantees were selected based on previous participation in CACFP Coaching and previous applications to RF’s PHL Child Nutrition Fund (PHL-CNF). Additionally, the selected grantees are located in ZIP codes aligned with CHOP Healthier Together.
CHOP’s investment is coupled with ongoing support from the Pennsylvania development financial institutions (PA CDFI) Network, allowing Reinvestment Fund to offer free technical assistance to all grantees. The technical assistance is being led by Alana Jones, MS, RD, SNS, CEO of Off My Plate Food Program Consultants. Jones is a nationally recognized expert in CACFP and has been instrumental in helping providers develop budgets for grant usage as well as offering ongoing assistance to grantees pursuing sponsorship. As Alana explains, “My role is like a bridge between childcare centers and the opportunities that CACFP offers. By demystifying the process and offering personalized guidance, I empower providers to not only gain access to essential funding but also enhance the quality of meals they provide. Together, we are building stronger, healthier programs that make a real difference in the lives of children and families.”
Since August 2024, grantees have been actively using the funds to strengthen their programs. With Jones’ continued support, grantees felt confident in making informed decisions. Shanita White, the Executive Director of the Academy Of Innovations, said, “The process of developing a budget with Alana was incredibly helpful. Her guidance allowed us to clearly outline our financial needs and allocate resources effectively, ensuring that we maximize the impact of the grant.” White also emphasized how the grant funding has enabled them to focus on nutrition, “With these funds, we have been able to purchase fresh produce, whole grains, and a variety of protein sources that cater to a balanced diet … It has opened opportunities for educational initiatives around nutrition and wellness, empowering our scholars to make informed choices about their diets.”
Kashmiera Harris, Executive Director of A Secure Future Academy, echoed White’s words, saying, “Working with Alana is a joy. She was able to share with me a template of things that I needed to consider and costs of items.” Harris plans to use her funds to host an event that celebrates healthy eating and introduces nutrition to children and families. The event will feature professional chefs who will showcase a variety of meals inspired by the diverse heritages represented at ASFA.
CHOP’s investment, combined with the ongoing technical assistance support provided by the PA CDFI Network, establishes a sustainable foundation for childcare providers to continue offering nutritious meals. A healthy food program is a crucial component of delivering high-quality care, playing a key role in supporting the healthy development of children. Reinvestment Fund is proud to support childcare providers and ensure all children have access to nutritious meals.
Through funding by the Pennsylvania CDFI Network, Reinvestment Fund is happy to announce the CACFP Business Support Program. Childcare providers in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery) can send in questions to our CACFP expert and coach, Alana Jones. See documents below to access this support!
Business Support Program Programa de apoyo Empresarial
Reinvestment Fund staff invited National CACFP Expert, Alana Jones of “Off My Plate” for multiple discussions about CACFP with Philadelphia-based providers. Watch these recordings below!
CACFP Conversation: Home-Based Childcare Participants
recording.
CACFP Conversations: Center-Based Childcare Participants
recording.
CACFP Conversations: “Myths and Rumors” Answering Questions from Providers not in CACFP
recording.
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal child nutrition program available to help child care centers and home-based providers serve nutritious meals in their programs. Providers who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) receive federal reimbursement for breakfast, lunch, snack and supper meals.
PHL-CNF Family Childcare Grants – Spring 2024
PHL-CNF, through continued funding by the William Penn Foundation, awarded 77 home-childcare programs in Philadelphia who participate in CACFP. These awards went towards purchasing food and revamping kitchen spaces.
PHL-CNF Childcare Center Grants – Spring 2024
PHL-CNF, through continued funding by the William Penn Foundation, awarded 6 childcare centers in Philadelphia who participate in CACFP. These awards supported the 6 programs in expanding their operations and increasing the number of meals served.
PHL Home-Based Child Care CACFP Grants – February 2022
In early 2022, PHLCNF awarded 160 grants totaling $400,000 to Family and Group Child Care providers in Philadelphia who participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The awards helped 22 of these providers newly enroll in CACFP.
PHL Child Care Center CACFP Grants Program – June 2022
In summer 2022, PHLCNF awarded 72 grants totaling $360,000 to Licensed Child Care Centers in Philadelphia to support a variety of needs connected to operating a CACFP meal program, including kitchen equipment (such as deep freezers or refrigerators), the cost of food, and labor for preparing and serving meals.
Philadelphia Child Care Center New– CACFP–Sponsor Coaching Program (West/Southwest Pilot)
Beginning in summer 2022, a cohort of childcare providers from west and southwest Philadelphia have been receiving coaching from Hope Wellness Solutions to become a newly enrolled sponsor of CACFP. Through this initiative, providers receive coaching to prepare their business to meet the application and ongoing CACFP requirements so that they can be a successful sponsor. Providers also received flexible grants of up to $10,000 or more to support the implementation of their CACFP program.