Brandon Lipps, Acting Deputy Under Secretary of USDA's Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, will deliver the keynote address championing the important work nutrition professionals do around the country. The conference also features inspiring and engaging speakers, Adam Russo, Director of the Offices of School Food and Nutrition for Prince William County Public Schools, Diane Craft, Professor at SUNY Cortland, and Evan Robinson, Masterchef Junior, as well as presenters for over 150 sessions. Attendees will return to their organizations with new ideas and knowledge, a new network of professionals they can reach out to and a new enthusiasm for their work that can inspire the entire team.

Each year, more than 4.5 million children are served 2 billion meals and snacks through the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program in child care centers, family care homes and after-school programs. CACFP provides that same access to over 130,000 elderly persons in adult day care. These are staggering numbers. Even more staggering is the fact that, without the CACFP, many of those children would not have access to healthy foods or any food at all.

The primary goals of the CACFP are to serve nutritious meals to children and help establish positive eating habits at the earliest stages of development. Research indicates that the CACFP is an indicator of quality child care. Children who are cared for by providers participating in the CACFP benefit by being fed nutritious, USDA regulated meals that ensure their proper development. These children gain positive eating habits from early nutrition education that will enrich the quality of their diet throughout their lives. Child care providers receive nutrition education and support services from their CACFP sponsors, who help them serve nutritious meals and create a positive eating environment for children. The quality of child care provided in communities across the U.S. is improved due to educational and financial resources available to caregivers through the CACFP. People who work with the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Afterschool Meals, and Summer Food Program communities are passionate change-makers who care deeply for the children they serve.

Thousands of people work daily, and tirelessly, to make sure children in America are getting access to healthy foods on a regular basis. Since 1986, the National CACFP Sponsor Association (NCA) has been the leading national organization for sponsors who administer the USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). We provide education and support to thousands of members in the CACFP community and, in particular, to sponsors of all sizes from across the country. We strive to improve communication between families, caregivers, sponsors and their supervising government agencies.