NCA Commits to National Strategy to Reduce Hunger
October 14, 2022
On September 28, 2022, for the first time in over 50 years, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. At the Conference, the Administration announced a bold national strategy that outlines steps the federal government and other stakeholders will take to end hunger and reduce diet-related disease by increasing healthy eating and physical activity in the U.S.by 2030. The National CACFP Sponsors Association (NCA) made a stakeholder commitment in support of the national strategy.
NCA’s stakeholder commitment is largely based on feedback from our June partner-led convening in which we discussed hunger, food access, and affordability with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) community. Conversations during the convening revealed that one of the barriers of participation in the CACFP was lack of awareness. Thousands of child care providers across the country are unaware that they are eligible to participate in the CACFP or are unsure on how to join the CACFP. Sponsoring organizations are perfectly positioned to help onboard providers to the program. Raising awareness of the CACFP is the first step in improving the nutrition security of children nationwide.
Our stakeholder commitment pledges us to raise awareness about the CACFP by expanding the CACFP Week initiative and introducing the new Power of the Food Program, which is an outreach campaign and training targeted to non-CACFP providers and will provide a step-by-step guide and training on the importance of the program, share how providers can participate in the CACFP, and provide nutrition education training.
Furthermore, NCA will offer up to 5,000 scholarships for child and adult care providers to attend the Power of the Food Program. We will work with local and state-based groups by providing designated scholarships for the providers in their network. Target organizations include those who serve family home child care, child care centers, after school programs, tribal organizations and more, with a focus on communities of color.
Expanding CACFP Week will include webinars, social media kits, advocacy kits, parent and community newsletters, and plenty of other resources and tools. NCA will also seek to reintroduce House and Senate resolutions pursuing a permanent proclamation declaring the third week in March as CACFP week. This large-scale campaign will target existing CACFP stakeholders, but also seek to onboard new CACFP operators.