The Power of the Food Program: Food Banks

Food banks are a vital source of food and services in their communities. Most people think food banks only provide food boxes for those in need. However, food banks do so much more and may also sponsor one or more federal nutrition programs, such as the CACFP. While most CACFP sponsoring organizations are only responsible for the administration and oversight of the program at their sponsored sites, food banks often provide the meals for their sponsored sites as well.

The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB), a CACFP sponsoring organization and a member of the National CACFP Association (NCA), is a great example. In addition to their afterschool backpack program, food pantries, and community pantries, CTFB sponsors the CACFP At-Risk Afterschool (ARAS) program and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). CTFB sponsors four sites at schools in Waco/McLennan County area, and 31 additional afterschool programs run by partners such as PARD, Foundation Communities, Boys & Girls Club, and many more in the Austin area. Over 1050 children receive supper through the CACFP at these programs.

Brianna Fleming, the Child Nutrition Program Manager at CTFB, believes that the CACFP is so important in afterschool spaces, because for some children it may be the last meal they eat all day.

"When I first started in this role back in Dallas and I was doing this work, I went to an afterschool meal site, a CACFP Site, and a child said to me, 'This is the last meal that I eat during the day, my family doesn't have enough money to cook dinner and so I'm really thankful for this meal.' That's how I really think it shows an impact on why afterschool feeding is so important because sometimes this is the last meal, sometimes the only meal that the children eat, and it's a free meal for them. It also follows very strict guidelines, so they're receiving all the nutritional benefits, including milk and a protein and grains and a fruit or veggie. And also a lot of afterschool programs have a benefit that's called the share table, where they're able to get more food if they choose to and they can take that food home as well. So really, we're just helping, ensuring that our children, and especially those in low-income areas, have nutritious meals and food to eat. Because at the end of the day, we know that food and having food and groceries is a right and not a privilege."

As a sponsor, CTFB’s Child Nutrition Team oversees the administration of the CACFP – verifying paperwork and monitoring sites to ensure program compliance. They also work with other teams to develop CACFP creditable menus, prepare meals, and deliver them to each of their sites. CTFB mainly provides both shelf-stable and fresh meals and tries to incorporate items from their on-site gardens. Meals are packaged and delivered in temperature-safe containers each weekday.

CTFB is located in Austin, TX, and some of the staff at NCA live close by. So, a few members of the NCA team took the opportunity to see the CACFP in action. NCA staff were joined by Brianna Fleming, Child Nutrition Program Manager and Emily Larsen, Director of Network Programs. During the tour, NCA staff were able to see the onsite food pantry that included fresh foods, seeds, and necessary hygiene items. The tour also featured CTFB’s onsite gardens where they grow food that is used in their various programs and where they teach gardening classes. The team was also able to witness all of the great work that goes into CTFB’s meal production. In the morning, dozens of CTFB staff were busy making and individually packaging pre-planned meals. Later that afternoon, meals are picked up by delivery drivers that transport meals to all of their CACFP sites. When the school day is over, children go to their afterschool program and are greeted with a delicious supper. Behind the scenes, the Child Nutrition Team is providing technical assistance, paperwork collection, and oversight of their sponsored sites.

Although the ARAS program provides nutritious meals to over 1 million children nationwide, participation in afterschool supper participation went down by 23% from 2021 to 2022. As a result, only one in every 16 children who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch were able to access supper through the CACFP. Many of those children live in food insecure households and do not know if they will have supper waiting for them at home. With over 200 food banks across the country, access to the CACFP could be expanded in so many communities if more food banks stepped up as sponsors of the CACFP.

"Absolutely do it. It's great. If you have a great infrastructure, processes, it can really be a great return on your investment because although the meals are free to the students and children, you do get reimbursed as a food bank. And also, I would just suggest that food banks use their network. There are food banks across the nation that operate the CACFP, so really make sure you're reaching out to us. There are some of us that are new that could give advice from a new standpoint and those that have been in the program for years and have expertise to share. We're here to really just help all of our programs grow, share resources, and make sure that we all have successful afterschool meals programs."

Food banks are uniquely positioned to sponsor sites that may not currently participate in the CACFP because of their lack of meal production capabilities. If you are a food bank interested in sponsoring this crucial program, reach out to your state agency to get started.