Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County Offering Child and Adult Care Food Program

Snack-ProgramHealthy lifestyles and good nutrition is a priority of Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County. As part of the Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs sponsorship, Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County is taking part in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and its policy for providing free and reduced-price meals, or snacks, at no separate charge. At all Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County Clubs and Kidstop sites, healthy snacks are available to all Club members without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.

The CACFP program, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Indiana Department of Education, Division of School and Community Nutrition Programs, gives financial assistance to child cared and youth development centers so that nutritious meals can be integrated with nonresidential childcare services for children. The goal of the program is to improve the diets of young children and increase the opportunity for children to eat a variety of nutritious foods.

“We are thrilled to be offering this snack program at all of our Club and Kidstop sites,” states Ryan Smiley, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County. “Many of our Club members attend our Clubs right after school and often stay until their parents or guardians can pick them up around 7:00 PM. That is a long stretch of time for kids not to have something to eat. The snacks provided are healthy and hearty such as fruit, yogurt, cheese, fresh vegetables, or granola bars. This helps our Clubs to achieve its priority outcome of healthy lifestyles and nutritious diets for our youth.”

The meals and snacks served meet standards established by the United States Department of Agriculture for the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County has been opening doors to GREAT FUTURES for Porter County’s youth since 1971. Clubs are open after school and provide a great place for youth in grades K-12 to meet friends and have fun while in a safe, supervised environment. Clubs are also open during holidays and in the summer. Annual membership is only $35.00. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify. For information on membership, volunteer opportunities, or to make a tax deductible donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of Porter County, please contact your local Club, call (219) 464-7282 or visit www.bgcpoco.org. Great Futures Start HERE.

About the Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs:
Each year the Indiana Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs serves over 115,000 children between the ages of 5 and 18. There are 37 Boys & Girls Clubs organizations located throughout Indiana with 88 actual operating sites. The Clubs provide programs in the areas of career exploration and educational enhancement, citizenship and leadership, the arts, and health and fitness. For additional information, please call (317) 356-2308.