Robin Paul Presented with Lifetime Achievement Award
April 11, 2023
The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) is honored to present Robin A. Paul with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding vision, dedication, and commitment to the advancement of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) community. For almost fifty years, Robin has dedicated her time, talent, and passion to the CACFP and the children and child care professionals of the Mid-Michigan area.
In 1976, Robin started her child care career as an aide in a day care center under Mid-Michigan Child Care Centers. She then moved on to running transportation, caring for 750 children on daily routes throughout the tri-city area. Learning on the job how to handle unique situations and challenging, timely problems, she quickly transitioned into a role of oversight when the corporation became a food program sponsor for the Department of Education. When the CEO retired, Robin became both CEO and director for the childcare centers and the food program. Under her leadership, Mid-Michigan Child Care Centers has been listed as being in the top 50 child care organizations nationally.
Simultaneously, Robin has made a tremendous impact in the greater CACFP community by volunteering her time as a leader for NCA. She has served on the Board of Directors for 20 years, serving on the executive team and as chair of the Scholarship, CACFP Week, Membership, and Nominations committees.
It is an understatement to say that Robin understands the importance of the CACFP in the community. Robin enjoys being on the forefront of change and advocacy for the food program and working with her staff in Michigan and the tight-knit CACFP community. Her greatest joy in child care is “working with people in the homes and centers and being able to educate the providers to get the right meals for kids.”
Blake Stanford, NCA Board Chair, noted that, “Robin has always stepped up when asked to go the extra mile; for her family, for her friends, for her employees, for her state and for NCA. Robin never shied away from meeting with elected officials or others to advance the CACFP. Her contributions to the association are numerous and she has been a force in propelling the association to its current success.”
Since 1986, the NCA has been the leading national organization for sponsors who administer the CACFP. NCA provides education and support to thousands of members in the CACFP community and to sponsors of all sizes from across the country. NCA strives to improve communication between families, caregivers, sponsors, and their supervising government agencies.