IDOE Announces Food Program Income Eligibility Guidelines

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) announced Thursday the 2018-2019 income eligibility guidelines for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). Each year, based on federal poverty levels, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) updates income eligibility guidelines for meals served at day care facilities and adult day care centers.

Administered by IDOE, the mission of CACFP is to improve the diets of young children and older and impaired adults, and to increase the opportunity for people within these age groups to eat a variety of nutritious foods. The meals and snacks served meet nutritional standards set by the USDA. The income guidelines began July 1, 2018 and will remain in effect until June 30, 2019. The guidelines apply to participants eligible for free or reduced price meals served in CACFP participating day care facilities, family day care homes, and adult day care centers.

Income Eligibility Guidelines Effective July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019
Household Size	Reduced Price Meals – 185% Must be at or below						Free Meals – 130% Must be at or below
	Annual	Monthly	Twice Per Month	Every Two Weeks	Weekly		Annual	Monthly	Twice Per Month	Every Two Weeks	Weekly
1	22,459	1,872	936	864	432		15,782	1,316	658	607	304
2	30,451	2,538	1,269	1,172	586		21,398	1,784	892	823	412
3	38,443	3,204	1,602	1,479	740		27,014	2,252	1,126	1,039	520
4	46,435	3,870	1,935	1,786	893		32,630	2,720	1,360	1,255	628
5	54,427	4,536	2,268	2,094	1,047		38,246	3,188	1,594	1,471	736
6	62,419	5,202	2,601	2,401	1,201		43,862	3,656	1,828	1,687	844
7	70,411	5,868	2,934	2,709	1,355		49,478	4,124	2,062	1,903	952
8	78,403	6,534	3,267	3,016	1,508		55,094	4,562	2,296	2,119	1,060
For each additional family member, add:	7,992	666	333	308	154		5,616	468	234	216	108

Based on family circumstances, several groups are automatically eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits. Those groups include the following participants/programs:

• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Food Stamps in Indiana)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (adult day care)
• Medicaid participants (adult day care)
• Foster Children
• Children enrolled in Head Start, at-risk afterschool centers, or an emergency shelter

Day care facilities typically provide applications for free or reduced price meals during registration and throughout the beginning weeks of the “school” year. However, applications may be submitted anytime and only one application is required per household. All information is confidential. Please note: most CACFP participating day care facilities and adult day care centers provide meals to all enrolled participants without any separate charge. Reimbursement to the facility is based on household income of those enrolled for care.

For more information regarding CACFP, please visit: www.doe.in.gov/nutrition/child-and-adult-care-food-program. To view a list of Indiana CACFP facilities, please visit: www.doe.in.gov/sites/default/files/nutrition/copy-site-list.xlsx.

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: 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: [email protected].

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.