Wes Moore Governor | Maryland Department Of Education
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has released updated income eligibility guidelines for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a federally funded initiative overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by MSDE.
The CACFP aims to provide nutritious meals and snacks at no cost to eligible participants in day care facilities and family childcare homes. The program’s reimbursements are determined by household income, which is reported through the CACFP Meal Benefit application.
Eligibility for free meals under the program is extended to foster children, those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA), or those enrolled in Head Start. Adults attending day care who are members of SNAP households or who receive Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid also qualify for free meals.
"Reimbursement is based on household income information submitted on the CACFP Meal Benefit application."
The newly published guidelines specify income thresholds by household size for both free and reduced-price meal eligibility. For example, a family of four must have an annual income at or below $41,795 to qualify for free meals, while the threshold for reduced-price meals is $59,478 per year for the same household size. Income limits increase incrementally with each additional family member.
Households seeking more details about CACFP participation in Maryland can contact the MSDE Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs at 410-767-0219.
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