(TRENTON) – All day care facilities and their clients should be aware that children and adults enrolled in day care facilities may be eligible for free meals through the Child and Adult Care Food Program, according to New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded program that reimburses sponsoring agencies that provide healthy meals and snacks at no charge to children and adults enrolled in licensed or approved day care facilities or family day care homes.

Meals are available at no separate charge to all enrolled participants in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and are served without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

Following are the Income Eligibility Guidelines used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals for the period from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018:

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federal program of the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

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