Question

Outline and describe the adult and child nutrition programs in the United States including: assistance provided, population served, agency providing program, legislation program authorized under (if applicable), and eligibility for the following programs:

CACFP

WIC

EFNEP

Head Start

Answer 1

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal program directed by the US Department of Agriculture and provides meal reimbursements for nutritious meals and snacks to child care centers, adult day care homes, and child development homes. Eligible children and adults are thus enrolled for care at a particular center. CACFP also covers nutritious meals served to children involved in afterschool care programs, the one residing in emergency shelters, and older people or the one living with a disability and enrolled in day care facilities. The main objective of CACFP is to promote the health, growth, wellness, and development of young children and adults in the United States. In order to be on the food program one need to get registered with DHS, maintain a daily record, receive two hours of training each fiscal year, and receive three in-home visits from local CACFP staff.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program EFNEP is a community outreach program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and is designed basically to educate and support families and participants in choosing healthy food, how to compare nutrition level, and basically aims in self-sufficiency, nutritional health, and well-being. EFNEP combines hands-on learning, applied science, and program data to ensure program effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. Nutrition education to low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children under the age of five is really the main focus of the program and WIC provides supplemental foods to the clients which is determined by the United States Department of Agriculture. Those families with an income below 185% of the federal poverty level are eligible for the program. It has been estimated that WIC serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States.

Head Start is a child benefit program directed by United States Department of Health and Human Services and is designed to provide complete early childhood education and learning experience with good health and nutritional needs to low-income children and their parents. The program aims to promote the development of a child cognitive ability, emotional response, and ohysical health along with stable family relationships. The eligibility criteria involve the participating children to be five years or less and belong to a low incomes family that is below the poverty guidelines. Children from homeless families, and families receiving public assistance such as TANF or SSI are also eligible.