Silver State Times

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) has announced the renewal of 45 agencies in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for 2025. This program provides funding for nutritious meals and snacks served to children and adults receiving day care.

“This program ensures Nevadans have access to nutritious meals and promotes the health and well-being of participants,” said NDA Division of Food and Nutrition Administrator Patricia Hoppe. She noted that "in FY 2024, 5.4 million meals were served through CACFP agencies."

Independent centers and sponsoring organizations partner with the NDA to operate the CACFP. Sponsors receive reimbursements for meals and snacks based on the percentage of participants who live in households falling within three income categories: free, reduced-price, and above scale.

Foster children or those from households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservation (FDPIR), Head Start eligible participants, At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program participants, and Emergency Shelter for Homeless Children automatically qualify for free meals under this program.

Adults in day care who are members of SNAP households or recipients of Supplemental Security Income, FDPIR, or Medicaid also meet guidelines for free meal eligibility.

The program emphasizes non-discrimination against any child or adult based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. More information about Nevada’s CACFP eligibility requirements can be found online along with a list of participating agencies.

The NDA is committed to preserving, protecting, and promoting Nevada’s agriculture through its five divisions: Administrative Services; Animal Industry; Measurement Standards; Food and Nutrition; Plant Health and Compliance. With a $288 million budget supporting various services including food distribution oversight for USDA nutrition programs, the department aims to protect public health as well as worker safety in agriculture industries.