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Most centers include meals as part of their fees. Centers receive payments based on the type of meal served and the child or adult’s eligibility for free, reduced-price, or paid meals, while shelters and afterschool care programs are reimbursed at the free rate. As of July 1, 2006, they receive an average of .1700 cents in commodities (or cash in lieu of commodities) for each lunch or supper they serve, in most States (payments are higher in Alaska and Hawaii), in addition to these rates:

The payment rates for the period July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007 are:

Meal Type Free Reduced-
Price
Paid
 Breakfast
$1.31
$1.01
$0.24
 Lunch or Dinner1
$2.40
$2.00
$0.23
 Snack
$0.65
$0.32
$0.06
1These rates do not include the value of commodities (or cash-in-lieu of commodities), which institutions receive as additional assistance for each lunch or supper served to participants under the program. A notice announcing the value of commodities and cash-in-lieu of commodities is published separately in the Federal Register.
*LUNCH/ DINNER does not include commodity rate (.1675)

Day care homes cannot charge separate fees for meals. Higher payments (tier I) are paid to homes in low-income areas and to low-income providers. Meals and snacks served to children who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals also receive higher rates of reimbursement.

As of July 1, 2004, tier I and tier II rates in most States are:

Meal Type Tier I Tier II
 Breakfast
1.06
0.39
 Lunch or Supper
1.97
1.19
 Snack
0.58
0.16

Sponsoring organizations of Family Day Care Homes also receive payments for the cost of administering day care homes. In most States, the monthly administrative payment rate for each day care home, as of July 1, 2006, is:

Number of Homes Rate
 1 - 50
$95
 51 - 200
$72
 201 - 1,000
$56
 Each One Over 1,000
$50

To receive an invitation to our required Child and Adult Care Food Program trainings as a Potential Sponsor, complete the mailing list and registration form.