Cafe LA Programs
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
In 1946, Congress recognized the need for a permanent program that would provide schools with funding for student lunches. Legislation was implemented as the “National School Lunch Act” and is designed to “encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food, by assisting the States, through grants-in aid and other means, in providing an adequate supply of food and other facilities for the establishment, maintenance, operation and expansion of nonprofit school lunch programs.”
At Café LA, students receive nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches each school day. The meals and services provided by Café LA are an important part of the overall education experience and enhance student’s ability to learn. Children participating in the lunch program learn to make good nutritious choices from the selection of foods offered daily in the cafeteria. Applying these skills to their lives as they grow is an essential key to their good health and success in the future.
Los Angeles Unified School District is a Community Eligibilty Provision (CEP) district and all students receive breakfast and lunch at no charge. Families do not have to submit a meal application to receive meals.
School Breakfast Program
The School Breakfast Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It began as a pilot project in 1966 and was made permanent in 1975.
Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast has a positive impact on a student’s academic success. Each meal must provide ¼ of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calories. Café LA serves breakfast at all of its 657 school sites and on weekends to the Saturday school programs. During the 2007-2008 school year an average of 213,885 breakfasts were served, that’s more than any other school district in the nation!
Please view USDA National School Breakfast Fact Sheet for more details or visit the USDA.
CACFP
After school snacks and suppers give children a nutritional boost and draw them into supervised activities that are safe and offer learning opportunities.
After School Programs give children a nutritional boost and draw them into supervised activities that are safe and offer learning opportunities. Under the CACFP, suppers can be served to children after their regular school day ends. The afterschool program must be organized, structured, supervised and approved by the district in order to receive suppers from the Food Services Division.
After-School Supper Programs are open to all students under the age of 18. Supper program is being offered in over 500 schools across the District. Students are not required to be enrolled in either the school or the school's after school program in order to receive the supper. The suppers fill a much needed gap in nutrition after the school day ends, meeting nutrition guidelines during the week and on weekends and holidays (where applicable).
Off-site Program
An Offsite program is an educational program that requires meal service but is at a location without a cafeteria/kitchen or has limited enrollment.
These Off-site programs vary in purpose, but are usually Continuation Schools or Community Day Schools. Meals are provided from a nearby school location if there are free or reduced students that qualify for meals. Only one meal is required (usually lunch) and site supervisors are required to follow all federal and state guidelines, and Café LA policies and procedures.
Students must submit a completed meal application in order for Food Services Division to determine if they are eligible to receive free or reduced priced meals.
Charter School Feeding
Affiliated Charter.
- Locally Funded, all monies come from LAUSD.
- Food Service Division must provide meals.
- All Food Service Division policies and procedures must be followed in order to provide reimbursable meals
Independent Charters
- Directly funded, school gets their funding directly from the State.
- Locally funded, State sends LAUSD the school’s funding check and LAUSD sends it directly to the Charter school.
It is the option of the Food Services Division to provide meal service for Independent Charters. School may request Food Services Division to provide contracted meals that the school will provide payment for, however it is at the discretion of the Food Service Division to see if it is financially feasible.