Family Nutrition Bureau

The Family Nutrition Bureau (as a part of ECECD) administers two USDA Child Nutrition Programs which provide federal funds to participating institutions to initiate and maintain non-profit food service programs for eligible children and adults. The funds provided through these programs help ensure that eligible children and adults receive nutritious meals that meet USDA meal pattern requirements. Institutions which can participate in the programs include: School food authorities, local government entities, private non-profit organizations (such as faith-based organizations, Boys & Girls Clubs and community action agencies), Head Start programs and certain for-profit institutions that meet eligibility requirements.

Child and Adult Care Food Program
Through agreements with community-based non-profit organizations and eligible for-profit organizations, the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides reimbursement to childcare providers for nutritious meals and snacks served to primarily low-income children in child care settings. Such settings include child care centers, head start programs, family child care homes, after school programs and emergency shelters. Adult Day Care centers that are licensed and provide care to adults in non-residential settings are also reimbursed through this program for the eligible meals they provide. The program is administered by the Family Nutrition Bureau (FNB) and is 100% federally-funded.

Summer Food Service Program
The Family Nutrition Bureau (FNB) also administers the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which provides nutritious meals to children during the summer when school is not in session (read department announcement of program administration). FNB enters into agreements with local nonprofit sponsoring agencies, local government agencies, faith-based organizations, summer camps, school food authorities and other eligible institutions to administer the SFSP at the local level. To find a Summer Food meal site near you, call 1-800-EAT-COOL, or visit SummerFoodNM.org.

Nutrition Education Training
Both of the child nutrition programs administered by FNB (the CACFP and SFSP) also include a strong nutrition education and training component, which is provided by the Nutrition Education and Training (NET) staff within the bureau. The NET Section provides training and technical assistance for SFSP and CACFP program sponsors that helps providers not only meet the minimum standards for participation in the food programs, but also to improve the quality of the meals served to the children in their care. The NET staff serve as a resource for quality nutrition education tools, and provide guidance to child care providers across the state. This Nutrition Education component is unique to New Mexico, and helps teach skills and healthy habits that will last a lifetime—long after the child is out of the day care setting.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to New Mexican households
The New Mexico Human Services Department will be providing additional SNAP benefits to New Mexico households, doing everything in its power to ensure that New Mexicans do not go hungry while facing the challenges of the #COVID19 pandemic. For more information, click here.

For more information on ECECD’s Family Nutrition Bureau program, please call (505) 841-4856 (in Albuquerque) or (505) 827-9961 (in Santa Fe).

Family Nutrition Bureau Links

COVID-19 Updates