Frequently Asked Questions Kids Cafe

Kids Cafe

1. Who is eligible to become a Kids Cafe?
Kids Cafe offers hot meals for Member Agencies operating after school enrichment programs in areas of high need. To be signed up as a Kids Cafe, the Member Agency must already be operating an after-school program & be in good standing with the NTFB. Additionally, all new sites must have kitchen facilities licensed and inspected by the local health department.

2. How do I apply to be a Kids Cafe?
Contact Taylor Hanna at taylor@ntfb.org for an application.

3. What kind of food is provided?
Frozen entrees from our Community Kitchen program and milk are delivered or picked-up weekly. All Kids Cafes are encouraged to order other meal items from our inventory, such as fruits and vegetables, to make a well-balanced meal. Kids Cafes are also reimbursed for purchases of nutritious foods used to meet USDA meal requirements.

4. How do I get the food?
There are two types of food available to Kids Cafes. Core Items include shelf stable milk & frozen entrees. Supplemental Items include anything additional to help meet USDA meal requirements- fruits, vegetables, snacks, whole grains, juice, etc. Supplemental Items must be ordered online, while Core Items are part of a standing order that is available each week. Delivery is available on a site-to-site basis for Core Items, while all Supplemental Items must be picked up from the NTFB.

5. Why is some of my food delivered when other items must be picked up?
There is limited space on our delivery trucks. In order to accommodate the most agencies and donors, the food bank must prioritize food to be delivered. Community Kitchen Casseroles require cold transportation to ensure a safe product. Other foods from the warehouse are typically non-perishable and can be easily transported by car or truck.

6. Are there items I cannot order because I am a Kids Cafe?
Yes. These items are called Red Light Foods. These foods are either already included in Community Kitchen Casseroles or contain ingredients that are harmful/not suitable for children. The following are Red Light Foods:

Items greater than 14¢ per pound
Meat items: ground beef, ground turkey, pork chops, etc.
Caffeinated items: cola, coffee, tea, etc.
“Energy” drinks
Nutritional Supplements: Ensure, Boost, Pediasure, etc

7. How can I tell which items cost more than 14¢ per pound?
All items priced above 14¢ per pound have the word COST present in the item code (ex: 24COST2368).

8. What if my pans have not arrived after my assigned delivery day?
If your core items are normally delivered, but the delivery did not arrive by the end of your scheduled delivery day, email our Child Programs Dept, at childprograms@ntfb.org and someone will get in touch with you.

9. Why do I have to send two types of reports to the Food Bank?
The Monthly Agency Report collects information about your entire agency one month at a time. It is due to Alanie Eguia by the 5th of every month and is essential for our state and national reporting.
The Kids Cafe Monthly Report collects detailed information about your Kids Cafe Program a month at a time. It is due to Gloriana Presbytero by the 5th of the month.

10. What do I have to turn in with my Kids Cafe Monthly Report?
The following documents must be submitted together and on-time in order for your report to be accepted and processed:

KC Monthly Totals
KC Monthly Food Log
KC Nutrition Activity Log
Copies of receipts
Proof of payment to cook

11. Will all Kids Cafe expenses be reimbursed?
No, use the Kids Cafe Explanation of Reimbursable Items in your handbook to determine if a program expense will be reimbursed. For further clarifications, email Child Programs at Childprograms@ntfb.org.

12. What are acceptable forms of proof of payment to Kids Cafe cooks?
We accept the following items as proof of payment to your cooks:

Copies of pay stubs from the beginning to end of the quarter
A summary report from your accounting department that outlines the number of hours worked, the rate of pay and the total paid to your cook during that period of time
A document(s) (e.g. time sheets, etc.) signed by your cook that includes the number of hours worked, the rate of pay received, and the total paid to your cook during that period of time

13. What is the Kids Cafe Food Log?
The Kids Cafe Food Log keeps a record of what was served, the temperature of the entrée, the number of 1st meals served to kids and the number of 2nd meals served to kids. Use the Kids Cafe Meal Count Sheet to collect this information if the person doing the reporting is not present at mealtime. All the information required on the Food Log is collected on the Meal Count Sheet.

14. How often must I provide nutrition education?
Nutrition education enrichment must be offered at least once a month. Please feel free to offer it more frequently if possible. The more kids know about food and health, the easier it is for them to make healthy lifestyle choices.

15. What resources can I use to teach nutrition education?
Here is a brief list of resources:

Use your Kids Cafe Handbook to find a list of online websites that provide nutrition education curriculum.
Call the Food Bank for a free one-time nutrition workshop
Host an Operation Frontline cooking and nutrition class at your agency for a small deposit that will be returned once the class starts

16. Why do I have to have 2 monitoring visits every year?
Every agency must have an annual Agency Monitoring Visit. This is conducted by the Agency Relations Department. They ensure that your agency meets the minimum requirements to operate a food assistance program.

All agencies with Kids Cafes have an additional annual Kids Cafe Monitoring Visit. This is conducted by the Child Programs Department. They ensure that your agency meets the minimum requirements to operate a Kids Cafe program.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Kids Cafe

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Kids Cafe