Child Nutrition

After-School Snack Program (ASSP)

The After-School Snack Program was created to provide after-school snacks to children who participate in an organized after-school enrichment or educational program. The after-school program must provide children with regularly scheduled activities in a structured and supervised setting and must be run by a school that is operating the National School Lunch Program.

Schools participating in the After-School Snack Program may claim reimbursement for one snack per child per day for participating children enrolled in public school. A qualifying after-school program located in an attendance area of a school site in which at least 50 percent of the enrolled students are certified for free or reduced-price meals may receive reimbursement for snacks served to students at the free rate. A qualifying after-school program located in an attendance area that does not meet the 50 percent free and reduce-price criteria may receive reimbursement for snacks served to students at the free, reduced-price, or full-price rates established each new fiscal year.

In 1954, the Special Milk Program was implemented to encourage fluid milk consumption by selling milk to students at the lowest possible price and serving milk free to students determined to be eligible. Beginning in 1981 and continuing through 1986, this program was available only to schools and nonprofit child care institutions not participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Programs. In 1986, the Special Milk Program was expanded to include split-session kindergarten children who do not have access to the breakfast and/or lunch programs because of their half-day schedules. The benefits of the program were also extended to preprimary class students who do not have access to the breakfast and/or lunch program because of their half-day schedules.

School districts which have split-session kindergarten and preprimary students who do not have access to the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Programs may receive reimbursement for milk served to these students. Schools may choose either to serve milk free to students qualifying according to family income, serve milk at a set price to all students, or serve milk free to all students.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

The Special Food Service Program for Children, established by Congress in 1968, was the forerunner of the Child Care Food Program. Further legislation in 1975, 1978, 1981, and 1987 clarified, expanded, and made permanent the Child Care Food Program. The title was changed in 1989 to the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Child care centers, adult day care centers, Head Start programs, and family day care homes may participate in the CACFP. Eligible institutions include settlement houses, day care centers, organizations providing day care services for disabled individuals and /or adults 60 years of age or older, and outside-school-hours care centers. Organizations eligible to sponsor a CACFP include units of state or local government; nonprofit private organizations such as community action agencies and churches; and private for-profit organizations sponsoring Title XX and Title XIX centers which receive Title XX and Title XIX compensation for at least 25 percent of the participants enrolled or 25 percent of license capacity, whichever is less.

Two types of assistance are available through the CACFP. The first of these—cash reimbursement—is available for meals and/or supplements meeting the United States Department of Agriculture meal pattern requirements, but not exceeding three meals per day per child. The second type of assistance available through the program is in the form of commodities donated by the United States Department of Agriculture. Commodities are made available to eligible participating agencies through the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Food and Nutrition Service Unit.

At-Risk Afterschool Meals

 The At-Risk Afterschool Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers Federal funding to Afterschool Programs that serve a meal or snack to children in low-income areas.  Reimbursement for At-Risk Afterschool Snacks has been available since the 1990s. However, reimbursement for At-Risk Afterschool Meals was available only in a few states.  The Healthy, Hunger-Free Act of 2010 expanded the availability for At-Risk Afterschool Meals to all States. 

At-Risk Afterschool Care provides a service to their communities.  They give children a safe place to go and nutritious food that gives them the energy they need to concentrate on homework and join their friends in physical, educational, and social activities. Organizations may participate in the CACFP Program either as an independent afterschool program or through a sponsor. However, they are required to meet certain requirements to receive reimbursement for meals and snacks served to eligible participants. 

Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)