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Outside Food and Drink

Some children in our care have highly sensitive food allergies and even the mere contact with a surface that has touched a particular food item can cause an anaphylactic reaction. Any outside food or drink will be discarded immediately unless it has been prearranged with our Center Manager and/or cook .

Food Allergies and Substitutions

If your child has been determined by a doctor to be disabled, and the disability would prevent your child from eating the regular meals at the Center, you must have your child’s doctor complete a CACFP Medical Disability Statement that describes the disability and prescribes the alternative foods needed, verifying that special meal components are needed due to a disability. We will then work with clients on a case-by-case basis to make sure their child is receiving nutritionally balanced meals while in our care.

The only exception to this is milk. If your child cannot drink cow’s milk due to medical or other special dietary needs but does not have a diagnosed medical disability, you may complete a Request for Fluid Milk Substitution form. Our Center currently provides a USDA approved soy milk alternative that is nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk. Parents may request to provide other USDA approved lactose-free options at their own expense.

All food allergies will be posted in locations where food is prepared and served.

Milk

Children who are 12-24 months old will be served unflavored whole milk. Children two years of age and older will be served unflavored low-fat (1%) or fat-free milk.* Breastmilk is considered an allowable fluid milk of any age.

*Low-fat (1%) or fat-free flavored milk may occasionally be served to children six years of age and older during special events such as field trips. In compliance with new FSN regulations, effective October 1, 2017 only fat-free flavored milk will be served.

Nondiscrimination Statement

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: http://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