The Illinois Child Care Bureau staff hopes that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe during this public health emergency.
- ICCB will continue to conduct a review of your food program participation by phone or by zoom until 30 days after the COVID19 pandemic ends.
- Please answer/respond to calls from your Illinois Child Care Bureau program advisor (monitor) to avoid a corrective action.
- The regulations for the Child and Adult Food Program require three reviews during each fiscal year which occur over three trimesters (Oct 1 – January 31, February 1 – May 31, and June 1 – September 30). Typically, you will receive a review during each trimester. Two of the reviews must be unannounced and one review may be announced. Please respond quickly to your program advisor’s call in order to avoid a corrective action. Your cooperation is appreciated.
- Illinois State Board of Education monitors are conducting in-person reviews. In order to continue successfully participating in the food program, please respond. Illinois State Board of Education monitors include John Burton, Judy Foster, Andrea Gregory, Paul Hansen, Harley Hepner, Abby Beckman, Latricia London, Carol Montague, Kim Nesler, Mary Newman, Kari Perkins, Jason Prager, Tess Smith, or Matthew Whitaker. If you have any questions, please call us during ICCB office hours (Monday – Friday between 8:30 am – 5:00 pm).
- Grab-and-Go meals and snacks are non-congregant feeding through the food program. If your day care home is currently closed due to the public health emergency and you are aware of children needing meals/snacks who were previously enrolled in your care, you are eligible for food program funds by serving non-congregant meals and snacks (Grab-and-Go) to them. You need prior approval from the Illinois Child Care Bureau for reimbursement. If you are offering Grab-and-Go meals/snacks, please contact Kim Klimek (Kim@IllinoisChildren.com) and be prepared to answer the following questions:
- Is there a need not served by schools or other community organizations (yes or no)?
- What is your plan for providing meals/snacks (is the parent/guardian picking up the meals/snacks)?
- How many meals/snacks will be given to the child? Please keep in mind the child may only be served meals/snacks as stated on their enrollment form. Depending on the child’s schedule, the day care home provider may claim a maximum of 2 main meals and 1 snack or 2 snacks and 1 main meal per child per day.
- If you are providing meals/snacks for multiple days, then please explain your ability to prepare and store the meals/snacks (refrigeration, safe serving containers to keep food cold/hot, etc). If you are not providing meals/snacks for multiple days, then please answer: Does not apply.
- Please state the number and names of children being served Grab-and-Go meals and/or snacks.
Social distancing requirements must be maintained during the distribution of meals/snacks.
We appreciate your continued participation in the food program which keeps all of us employed!
IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION Recently, we mailed out your 2021 Tax Report. Please note: tax forms printed prior to January 27, 2022 may not be accurate due a KidKare programming issue. For step-by-step instructions to print your report, please see our message in your KidKare account.
Child Nutrition Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Program
Exciting News! Over the past 12 months, USDA and the state of Illinois have worked to establish the Emergency Operational Costs Reimbursement Program for day care home operators who lost food program revenue (Child & Adult Care Food Program) during the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic. All of their work (and ours) has been completed and we are very happy to announce that funds are available to eligible day care home providers.
Day care home providers are eligible for the reimbursements if they maintained their CACFP participation by filing valid claims for any of the months of September 2020 to present OR have provided an assurance that their CACFP operations will resume by fling a valid claim no later than a month occurring within 90 days after the conclusion of the public health emergency.
The Illinois State Board of Education calculated the payments with review by the Illinois Child Care Bureau. This one-time direct deposit payment was deposited into your account on 12.17.21 (payments by check were mailed on 12.16.21).
The Illinois State Board of Education completed the following steps:
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- Reviewed files to determine if the provider was eligible for reimbursement.
- Analyzed your food program 2019 claims (3.16.19 – 6.30.19 vs your 2020 claims (3.16.20 – 6.30.20).
- Payment calculations were completed.
- Funds were deposited in ICCB’s account to pay providers.
Reimbursements were calculated based on statutory formula. It allows eligible day care providers to receive:
- 55% of the difference between reimbursements from the months of April, May, and June 2020, and the same months in 2019 and
- For March 2020 calculations, the payment is half of 55% of the difference between reimbursements for March 2020 and March 2019
For more detailed information, visit: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/emergency-operating-costs-during-covid-19-implementation-guidance
Need assistance? Please contact us by phone at 773.444.0115 or email (Info@IllinoisChildren.com, Cathy@IllinoisChildren.com, Kim@IllinoisChildren.com or Sarah@IllinoisChildren.com).
KidKare is the online claiming method for day care home providers to access Child and Adult Care Food Program funds. KidKare is free, user-friendly, works on a Mac/PC/smartphone/iPad/tablet – anything with an internet connection. You can use most major browsers too.
To learn how to use it, please read How to Use KidKare Guide — or view some short training videos at KidKare.com.
Need your login and password? Call the ICCB office at 773.444.0115 or send an email to Info@IllinoisChildren.com.