— Primary Program

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Helping Georgia child care and adult day care centers receive USDA meal reimbursements with confidence.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded USDA nutrition program that reimburses eligible child care and adult care providers for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults in their care.

— What is cacfp?

A federal nutrition program that pays centers back for the meals they serve.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded USDA nutrition program that reimburses eligible child care and adult care providers for serving nutritious meals and snacks to children and adults in their care.

Youth Educational Services has served as an approved CACFP Sponsor for over 26 years. We help child care centers, after-school programs, and adult day care centers successfully participate in the program while ensuring compliance with all USDA and Bright from the Start requirements.

26+

Years as an approved sponsor

Monthly

Reimbursement cycle

$0

Cost to participating centers

— BENEFITS

What your center gains.

CACFP improves the quality of meals children receive while strengthening the financial position of the centers that serve them — with YES handling the compliance behind the scenes.

  • Receive monthly meal reimbursements
  • Improve nutritional quality
  • Increase operating revenue
  • Professional compliance assistance
  • Ongoing staff training
  • Regulation updates
  • Monitoring support
  • Audit preparation
  • Nutrition education
— HOW YES HELPS

Full-service administration,
start to finish.

We handle the paperwork, deadlines, and regulations so your directors can focus on children and families.

01

Enrollment Assistance

Application preparation, required documentation, and training — handled with you, step by step.

02

Monthly Claim Processing

We review menus, attendance, and meal counts, then file accurate claims each month.

03

Compliance Monitoring

Required monitoring visits conducted on schedule, with findings corrected
before they become costly.

04

Technical Assistance

Directors and staff get direct access to specialists who answer questions and
solve problems.

05

Policy Guidance

We translate changing USDA and Bright from the Start requirements into plain language your team can act on.

06

Audit Preparation

Your records stay review-ready year-round — three years plus the current year, as required.

07

Corrective Action Support

If a finding arises, we build and implement the corrective action plan alongside your team.

— WHO QUALIFIES?

Programs eligible to participate

If you care for children or adults in a licensed or USDA-approved setting anywhere in Georgia, you likely qualify.

  • Licensed Child Care Centers
  • Adult Day Care Centers
  • Head Start Programs
  • Eligible Afterschool Programs
  • Emergency Shelters
  • Other USDA-approved organizations
— 26 Years of Trust

An approved CACFP Sponsor serving Georgia since 2000.

YES is accountable to the USDA and Bright from the Start (DECAL) for training, monitoring, and claim accuracy — and accountable to you for getting it right.

— Our Enrollment Process

From first call to first reimbursement.

1

Initial Consultation

Talk with a CACFP Specialist about your center and goals.

2

Eligibility Review

We confirm your program qualifies under USDA and DECAL rules.

3

Application Completion

We prepare and submit every required form and document.

4

Training

Directors, cooks, and staff are trained before the first claim.

5

Program Approval

We track each approval step with the state agency.

6

Monthly Claims

Submit claims through our online platform each month.

7

Ongoing Monitoring

Required visits keep your center review-ready year round.

8

Continuous Support

Specialists remain available for questions at any time.

— TECHNOLOGY

An Online Claims Platform Built for Centers

YES provides an easy-to-use online claims platform that simplifies monthly meal claim submissions, document uploads, and communication between centers and our CACFP specialists.

  • Digital claim submissions
  • Attendance verification
  • Meal count reporting
  • Document uploads
  • Notifications
  • Claim status tracking
  • Training resources
  • Maximization of your claim payments
— FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTION

Questions directors ask most.

What meals qualify?

CACFP provides reimbursement for eligible, nutritionally balanced meals and snacks served to enrolled children that meet USDA meal pattern requirements. Depending on your program and approved schedule, reimbursable meals may include breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks. Our team will help you determine which meal services your center is eligible to claim and ensure they meet current USDA guidelines.

Reimbursement varies based on several factors, including the number of eligible children served, the types of meals claimed, attendance, and the applicable USDA reimbursement rates. During your consultation, YES can provide an estimate of your potential monthly reimbursement based on your center's enrollment and meal service schedule.

The enrollment timeline depends on how quickly all required documentation is completed and submitted. Most centers can complete the enrollment process within a few weeks once all necessary paperwork, training, and approvals are in place. Our specialists work closely with each center to make the process as efficient as possible.

Participating centers must maintain accurate program records, including:

  • Daily attendance records
  • Meal counts by meal service
  • Menus that meet USDA meal pattern requirements
  • Enrollment forms
  • Income eligibility documentation (when applicable)
  • Training records
  • Other program documentation required by USDA and the Georgia Department of Early
    Care and Learning (DECAL)

YES provides training, templates, and ongoing guidance to help ensure your records remain
complete and compliant

Federal regulations require sponsoring organizations to conduct regular monitoring visits throughout the program year. The number and type of visits depend on USDA requirements and your center's participation status. These visits are designed to support your success by reviewing records, answering questions, and helping maintain compliance—not simply to identify deficiencies.

In most cases, yes. Licensed child care centers that meet eligibility requirements may begin the enrollment process at any time during the year. Once your application is approved and all program requirements have been met, your center can begin participating in CACFP. Contact YES to determine your eligibility and start the enrollment process.

Still Have Questions?

Our CACFP specialists are ready to help. Contact Youth Educational Services today to learn how the CACFP can benefit your child care program and receive personalized guidance throughout the enrollment process

Ready to join CACFP? Schedule a consultation

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