REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 28, 2025
FROM
ARLENE MOLINA, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award from the California Department of Social Services for the Child and Adult Care Food Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Accept grant award from the California Department of Social Services for the continued participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, in the amount of $1,968,964, for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
(Presenter: Arlene Molina, Director, 383-2078)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The grant award for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in the amount of $1,968,964 is funded by the California Department of Social Services and does not require a local match. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2024-25 budget and will be included in the 2025-26 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD operates the Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs and serves more than 2,000 children in 31 locations through direct services throughout San Bernardino County. The programs provide education, health, cognitive, social/emotional, physical growth and development, and parent involvement services for children ages 0 to 5 with the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in economically disadvantaged families.
PSD has received funding from the State for CACFP since 1965. This grant award will be used to provide 677,016 meals (breakfast and/or lunch) and snacks to an estimated 1,687 Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool eligible children countywide, at an average cost of $2.91 per meal or snack. The annual cost to administer PSD’s countywide food program historically exceeds the annual grant awarded by CACFP. When this occurs, PSD subsidizes food program costs through eligible Head Start and Early Head Start grant funding.
On August 20, 2024 (Item No. 49), the Board of Supervisors approved submission of the grant application to the State for continued CACFP funding in the amount of $1,968,964, for the period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025. Although PSD did not receive a notification letter of approval from the State, PSD confirmed the grant award in the CACFP system in November 2024.
This item is being presented at this time, as this is the first available date following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. PSD was notified of grant application approval in November 2024. Approval at this time will not impact PSD services or activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Ramona Verduzco, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 19, 2024; Finance (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on December 19, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on January 7, 2025.