After-School Snack Program
After School Snack Program Q & A
What are "After-School Snacks?"
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and The Child and
Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) now offers cash reimbursement to help schools and
after-school care programs serve snacks to children after their regular school day ends.
Afterschool snacks give children a nutritional boost and draw them into supervised
activities that are safe, fun and filled with learning opportunities. How can children benefit from the snack service?
Afterschool snacks help ensure that children receive the
nutrition they need to learn, play and grow. Organized, structured, and supervised
programs that provide snacks allow children to think and behave better, and help them make
the grade! Is my after-school care program eligible?
In order for a site to participate, your school district must run the NSLP. In order for a CACFP site to participate, your program must be "area
eligible" (see Question 6). Additionally the afterschool care program must provide children with regularly scheduled educational or enrichment activities in a supervised
environment. Contact your State education agency for further information regarding program eligibility. How do schools get reimbursed for meals?
In order to be reimbursed, the snacks must contain at least two different components of the following four: a serving of fluid milk; a serving of meat
or meat alternate; a serving of vegetable(s) or fruit(s) or full strength vegetable or fruit juice; a serving of whole grain or enriched bread and/or cereal. How much money will my school get for serving snacks?
Snacks served in afterschool care programs that are "area eligible" (see Question 6) will be reimbursed at the free rate, regardless
of an individual student’s eligibility for free or reduced price lunches. Snacks served in afterschool care programs that are not area eligible will be reimbursed at the
free, reduced price and paid rate depending on each individual’s eligibility for free or reduced price meals. For the period of July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2002,
reimbursement is $0.57 for free snacks, $0.28 for reduced price snacks, and $0.05 for paid snacks. The rates of reimbursement for Alaska and Hawaii are higher. These rates are
adjusted annually. For a complete listing of reimbursement rates, please consult the Financial Managment Page. A maximum charge to the child for a reduced price snack is 15 cents. How is "area eligible" defined?
An afterschool care program site is "area eligible" if it is located at a school or in the attendance area of a school where at least 50
percent of the enrolled children are eligible for free or reduced price meals. For example, if a high school with less than 50 percent free or reduced price school
enrollment is located in the attendance area of a middle school that has 50 percent or more of the enrolled children eligible for free or reduced price meals, then the
afterschool care program located in the high school would be area eligible. Afterschool care programs can use free and reduced price meal data from elementary, middle, and high
schools to document a site as "area eligible". -
If my site is not area eligible, must I take applications for individual students to determine whether they are eligible for free or reduced price benefits?
Since your school district is already participating in the NSLP, it will have free and reduced price applications on file. The eligibility
determinations for those applications would apply for both the lunch and snack service under the NSLP. If an approved free or reduced price application is not on file, the
school district will earn the paid rate of reimbursement for snacks served to that student unless the student makes application and is approved for free or reduced price benefits.
How do I apply for after-school snacks?
Contact the school food service director in your school district. You may also want to contact the Massachusetts State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,
Nutrition Programs and Services at (781) 338 - 6480 for more information. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service home page has additional
information regarding the After-School Snack Program. This information is available on the world wide web at www.fns.usda.gov/fncs. When does the reimbursement begin?
As soon as the State agency approves your application,
reimbursement will be earned for snacks served. Reimbursement will be provided to participating programs who serve afterschool snacks to children and youth through the age
of 18. Please contact your State agency to determine if you are eligible to receive retroactive reimbursement. What records must be maintained (for CACFP)?
Your State agency will provide you with specific information on the reporting and recordkeeping requirements. You will need to maintain a roster or
sign-in sheet for participating children. Additionally, you must record and report the total number of snacks you serve each day, and document compliance with the meal pattern
for CACFP. Your State agency will be able to provide you with a copy of the CACFP meal pattern. Can I receive reimbursement during the summer months (CACFP)?
You may only receive reimbursement for afterschool snacks served in CACFP during times of the year when school is in session. However, your program
may be able to participate in our Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) during the summer months, and receive reimbursement for providing nutritious meals and snacks to children
and youth in your program. Your State agency can also provide you with information on participating in the SFSP this summer.
For further details, please contact the USDA Food and Consumer Service Public Information Staff at 703-305-2286 or by mail at 3101 Park Center Drive, room 819, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.Information about FNS programs is also available on the World Wide Web at : http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/
The Food and Nutrition Information Center Resource List is available at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/pubs_and_db.html#edu
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