Food Services
East Orange Department of Recreation and Cultural Affairs
Division of Food Services
The city of East Orange is committed to providing access to affordable and healthy meals for all of our residents. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) plays a vital role in improving the quality of daycare and making it more affordable for many low-income families. CACFP serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible participants enrolled for care at participating day care centers and day care homes. The program promotes the development of basic nutritional concepts and provides nutritious, well-balanced meals fostering sound eating habits that enable participants to become caretakers of their own nutritional habits. CACFP also provides meals to children residing in homeless shelters and snacks to youths participating in after-school care programs.
Serving Adult Participants in the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) sites serve adult participants who are 18 years or older living with a disability and those who are 60 or older. Not all adults have the same nutritional needs. Health and social changes and lower amounts of physical activity may affect the dietary needs of older adults. The CACFP meal pattern for adults provides flexibility to allow you to plan meals that best meet the needs of adults in your care. This approach relies on good communication between you, the program operator, and the adult participant (and/or their caregiver).
Why is SFSP important to your community?
You know that children who miss school breakfast and lunch are more likely to be sick, absent or tardy, disruptive in class, and inattentive. They also score lower on achievement tests. Good nutrition is essential for learning in school. SFSP provides an opportunity to continue a child’s physical and social development while providing nutritious meals during long vacation periods from school. It helps children return to school ready to learn.
Where does the program operate?
States approve SFSP meal sites as open, enrolled, or campsites and parks.
- Open sites operate in low-income areas where at least half of the children come from families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level, making them eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Meals are served free to any child at the open site.
- Enrolled sites provide free meals to children enrolled in an activity program at the site where at least half are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
- Camps may also participate in SFSP. They receive payments only for the meals served to children eligible for free and reduced-price meals.
- Children 18 and younger may receive free meals and snacks through SFSP.
- Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.
Summer Food Service Program
Program dates: July 1, 2024 – August 30, 2024
Fun Fact: In 2023, the City of East Orange Summer Food Program Sponsored 22 sites, serving over 20,000 meals to children participating in summer enrichment programs, local camps, and parks.
Our Mission
“Food That’s IN When School is OUT”
Our Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) serves over 140,000 free meals to children in summer schools, day camps, and our local parks. In the (SFSP) we are committed to providing access to healthy meals during the summer months. This program, under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services, provides all children up to 18 years of age with free meals to help fill the nutrition gap of the 70% of our children who are eligible to receive free or reduced meals. The sites listed below are the locations for free breakfast and lunch servings beginning July 1st – August 30th.
Locations:
Elmwood Park Breakfast: 9 am Lunch 12 pm 128 Oak Street
Rowley Park Breakfast: 9 am Lunch: 12 pm 103 No. Arlington Avenue
Watsessing Park Breakfast: 9 am Lunch 12 pm 423-481 Glenwood Avenue
Memorial Park Breakfast: 9 am Lunch 12 pm 23 South Arlington Avenue
Columbian Park Breakfast: 9 am Lunch 12 pm 215 Springdale Avenue
For information, please contact:
Fredricka Harbin-Allen – (973) 414-4141 Ext 4152
Email: [email protected].