Afterschool Care Program
What is the Afterschool Care Program?
The hours after school
are a critical time when children and youth are most
at-risk of engaging in delinquent behavior.
An Afterschool Care Program that serves snacks reimbursed
through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers
children and youth constructive activities and something
to eat. It draws them into supervised after-school programs
that are safe, fun, and filled with learning opportunities.
After-school snacks fill the gap between the lunch they
receive at school and supper and help ensure children and
youth receive
the nutrition they need to learn, play, and grow.
Who qualifies for participation in the program?
After-school snacks can be served to all school-age children
who are 18 or under at the start of the school year. To be
eligible to participate under the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP), your school district must operate the NSLP and sponsor
or operate an eligible Afterschool Care Program. Also, your
Afterschool Care Program must provide children with regularly
scheduled activities in an organized, structured, and supervised
environment and include educational or enrichment activities.
There are no federal licensing requirements to participate
in the NSLP’s Afterschool Care Program; however, Afterschool
Care Programs are required to meet any State or local licensing
requirements. If there are no State or local licensing requirements,
programs must meet State or local health and safety requirements.
How are sponsors reimbursed for snacks?
If your Afterschool Care Program is "area eligible" (i.e.,
located in a school or in a school attendance area in which
at least 50 percent of the enrolled children qualify for
free or reduced-price meals), then all snacks will be reimbursed
at the free rate, regardless of an individual student’s
eligibility. If your Afterschool Care Program is not area
eligible, snacks will be reimbursed at the free, reduced-price
or paid rate depending on each individual child’s eligibility.
Through the reimbursement you receive from USDA, you can
free up dollars your Afterschool Care Program can use for
other activities.
What are the snack nutrition requirements?
To be reimbursable, each snack must include at least two
different food items of the following four: a serving of
fluid milk; a serving of meat or meat alternate; a serving
of vegetable(s) or fruit(s) or full strength vegetable or
fruit juice; a serving of whole grain or enriched bread or
cereal. Examples of a reimbursable snack may include pretzels
and 100 percent juice, or an apple and a carton of milk.
What are the sponsor’s responsibilities for administering
the program?
You will need to keep a roster or sign-in sheet for participating
children. Additionally, you must record and report the total
number of snacks you serve each day by eligibility category
(free, reduced-price, and paid) unless your program is area
eligible. You must also document that the snacks you served
met the USDA nutritional requirements for the program.
How can you apply to become a sponsor?
To apply to be a new sponsor in the National School Lunch,
School Breakfast, Special Milk, Illinois Free Breakfast and
Lunch, and Food Distribution Program, click on the link below
to obtain the forms you need to complete for the programs
in which you choose to participate. New applications may
be submitted at any time. Applications are valid from the
date of approval through September 30 each year.
Program
Participation Request Form
Are there any additional application requirements?
Private Non-profit Entities
In addition to the above forms, private non-profit entities
must submit a copy of the tax-exempt letter showing status
under Section 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Private Residential Child Care Institutions
Private residential child care institutions must submit a
license or a document indicating that a license is not required.
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