Official Site of The State of New Jersey

NJDA Partners With USDA to Offer Day Care Meal Assistance 

(Trenton)- New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) Secretary Ed Wengryn is excited to announce the Department of Agriculture’s continued partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This program provides reimbursement for well-balanced, nutritious meals served to individuals enrolled in adult and child care centers, family day care homes (FDCH), after school programs, emergency shelters, and head start programs. CACFP federal funding is provided from the USDA and, based on monthly claims submitted, paid to program operators through an agreement with the NJDA.

Examples of locations that have used CACFP to run successful feeding programs include Wishing Well Adult Day Health Care Center and Rainbow Children’s Musical Day Care each in Mercer County, Programs for Parents in Essex County, Circle of Friends in Union County, Acelero Learning Monmouth/Middlesex Inc., and Ocean Inc. Child Development Center in Ocean County.

CACFP is available to public or private nonprofit organizations providing licensed or registered non-residential day care services. Such organizations include adult care, child care, FDCH sponsors, after-school programs, schools, food banks, and city government organizations including organizations providing day care services for children with disabilities and/or special health care needs. For-profit centers may qualify if they receive compensation under Title XX/XIX of the Social Security Act for at least 25 percent of the total participants who are receiving non-residential care, or 25 percent of their participants qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits.

The seven steps to CACFP application approval are:

1.     Outreach Survey: determine participation eligibility

2.     Pre-Registration: meet business requirements

3.     Training: complete all required online CACFP training sessions

4.     Gain Agreement Number: access online application

5.     Online Application: complete required records

6.     Pre-Approval: once steps 1-5 are completed and approved

If your organization is interested in applying, email NJDA CACFP at njdacacfpcommunications@ag.nj.gov or call 609-984-1250.  

You can begin by completing the NJDA CACFP Outreach and Eligibility Tool at the link below:   

Following are the Reimbursement Rates for the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026:

Following are the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines for determining Household participant meal rates:

Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and USDA civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the state or local agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA and @JerseyFreshNJDA