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Reimbursement Rates for the Child Nutrition Programs NSLP Snacks | CACFP Meals and Snacks | Summer Food Eligibility for Free or Reduced-Price Meals Household income determines if a child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. Free and reduced-price eligibility establishes the reimbursement rates provided in the afterschool and summer nutrition programs. The reimbursement rates vary depending upon the nutrition program, with some providing the highest (or same) reimbursement rate for all meals and snacks served if the program is located in an area where at least 50 percent of the children qualify for free or reduced-price meals. For a child to be eligible for free meals, the household income must be 130 percent or less of the federal poverty guidelines. For a child to be eligible for reduced-price meals, the household income must be between 130 and 185 percent of the guidelines. In Alaska and Hawaii, the requirements for qualifying for free or reduced-price meals are set at higher income levels because of these states’ high cost of living. Programs receive a nominal reimbursement for a child whose household income is above 185 percent of poverty (or who does not submit a free or reduced-price meal application or otherwise document eligibility for free or reduced-price meals). This is called the paid rate. The chart below breaks down the guidelines based upon the size of the household.
NSLP Afterschool Snacks
The reimbursement rate for NSLP snacks is determined either by the afterschool program’s eligibility or the individual child’s eligibility. An afterschool program is eligible if it is located in a low-income area (where at least 50 percent of the children in the local elementary, middle, or high school are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals). In this instance, all of the snacks are reimbursed at the free rate of reimbursement for all of the snacks served. If an afterschool program is not located in a low-income area, it is reimbursed based upon each child’s eligibility for free, reduced-price, or paid school meals. Snacks served in Alaska and Hawaii are reimbursed at a higher rate because of these states’ high food costs. CACFP Meals and Snacks
Afterschool programs that are located in low-income areas (where at least 50 percent of the children in the local elementary, middle, or high school are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals) receive the free rate for all snacks served. Children age 18 and younger can receive snacks. Afterschool programs in Delaware, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia are part of a special CACFP Supper Program and can provide a meal (and a snack) to children 18 and younger at programs after school, on weekends or school holidays (not including summer vacation). To qualify, the program must be located in a low-income area (where at least 50 percent of the children in the local elementary, middle, or high school are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals). All of the meals and snacks are reimbursed at the free rate. Meals and snacks served through the CACFP Outside School Hours Care option are reimbursed based upon the participating children’s eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. This CACFP option can be used to serve children younger than 13 at before-school, afterschool, and weekend programs. (Summer programs are eligible only if they are a continuation of a year-round program.) A maximum of two meals and a snack can be served each day. The reimbursement rates listed above do not include the value of commodities (or cash in lieu of commodities), $0.2075 for July 2007 through June 2008, which CACFP provides for each lunch and supper served. Meals and snacks served in Alaska and Hawaii are reimbursed at a higher rate because of these states’ high food costs.
Summer Food
Sponsors receive the same reimbursement amount for each meal and snacked served, but the site determines the reimbursement amount. Sites that are located in rural areas or that prepare their own meals (“self prep”) receive a slightly higher reimbursement rate than other sites. The number of meals that each site can serve depends upon how the site qualifies to participate in Summer Food. Sites that are located in low-income areas (where at least 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals) or that serve primarily low-income children (at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in the program are eligible for free or reduced-price meals) can provide a maximum of two meals a day. Sites serving primarily migrant children can provide three meals a day. Camps also can provide three meals, but are only reimbursed for children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Meals and snacks served in Alaska and Hawaii are reimbursed at a higher rate because of these states’ high cost of food.
NSLP Seamless Summer Option
All of the meals and snacks served through the NSLP Seamless Summer Option are reimbursed at the free rate. The Seamless Summer Option provides a slightly higher reimbursement rate for schools that serve a high enough percentage of lunches to children eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. Schools that receive the higher rate for breakfast or lunch during the school year also receive the higher rate through the Seamless Option. (The threshold is 40 percent to qualify for the higher breakfast reimbursement rate and 60 percent to qualify for the higher lunch rate. Eligibility is determined by the percentage of lunches served during the second preceding school year.) The number of meals that each site can serve depends upon how the site qualifies to participate in NSLP. Sites that are located in low-income areas (where at least 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals) or that serve primarily low-income children (at least 50 percent of the children enrolled in the program are eligible for free or reduced-price meals) can provide a maximum of two meals a day. Sites serving primarily migrant children can provide three meals a day. Camps also can provide three meals, but are only reimbursed for children who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. The reimbursement rates listed above do not include the value of commodities (or cash in lieu of commodities), $0.1875 for July 2007 through June 2008, which schools receive for each lunch served. Meals and snacks served in Alaska and Hawaii are reimbursed at a higher rate because of these states’ high food costs.
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