The Lunchbox Letter: Plates & Possibilities
Labor Day & Yom Kippur Open/Close
CBS will be closed in observance of Labor Day (Monday, September 7th) and Yom Kippur (Monday, September 21st). Please let us know whether your center will be open or closed on these two days using this form. We will ensure meals are provided in advance if you are open and operating!
CBS is Back on Social Media!
We’re back on social media- including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! Follow our pages to stay up-to-date on what CBS is up too. A special prize will be given to the first person to follow all of our accounts.
Last Call!: CACFP Annual Training
NEW! CACFP: Quick Reference Guide
It’s that time of year again! It is required that at least one person from every center attend a CACFP Annual Training every year. We have plenty of sessions left in August and September sign up now to reserve your spot.
- Saturday, August 29th from 10am-12pm at 100 W. Oxford St.
- Tuesday, September 8th from 10am-12pm at 7228 Elmwood Ave.
- Monday, September 14th from 5:30pm-7:30pm at 2603 S. Broad Street
- Wednesday, September 23rd from 1pm-3pm at 1272 Veterans Highway.
- Tuesday, September 29th from 6pm-8pm at 100 W. Oxford St.
Questions? Email Amara Downey, Program Director at amara@cbsfoodprogram.com
News & Reminders for Participating Centers!
NEW! CACFP: Quick Reference Guide
This resource is designed to provide staff with a clear overview of key procedures, expectations, and compliance requirements. Use this guide as a day-to-day tool for operations and who to contact if you need assistance! Click here to access, print, and share with your center staff!
Reminder! Enrollment Information
When sending CBS details to enroll children in KidKare, please ensure you include all of the needed information: Center Name, Child Name, Child DOB, Parent Name, Parent Email Address, and Parent Phone Number. Please also remember, when enrolling infants under one year old, to send CBS the Infant Enrollment Form via email.
Reminder! Open/Close/Field Trips
For non-emergency closures or field trips, please notify CBS at least 72 hours in advance by calling 215-938-0201 ext. 1 or emailing info@cbsfoodprogram.com. Bagged meals are available for field trips upon request.
Important: If your center is closed or on a field trip, let us know if someone will be available to accept meals for the following day’s service.
NEW! Numbers Adjustment Request Policy
Has enrollment increased at your center? If you need additional meals, email your request to increase your meals, along with an updated Master List of enrolled children, to info@cbsfoodprogram.com by Wednesday at 12pm. If your request is approved, your increased meal count will take effect at the following Monday’s meal service.
Advocacy Spotlight
As a new school year begins, families across the country are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of groceries, gas, housing, child care, and health care. Research shows that school meals are the healthiest source of food for children, and public opinion polling shows that the majority of voters support offering school meals at no charge to families.
Join the National Healthy School Meals for All Coalition on September 15th from 1pm-2pm for a virtual congressional briefing on why Healthy School Meals for All is one of the most effective, common sense affordability policies congress can enact. Sign up to attend!
CACFP Resources
Root for Local Food Webinar | September 10th @ 2pm-2:30pm
Join CACFP to discover ways to grow your participation and access to fresh ideas and resources for inspiration. Register to attend here.
Farm to CACFP Week | October 18th – 24th, 2026
Farm to CACFP Week celebrates the connection between CACFP programs, local foods and the communities that grow them. You can enter to win a $100 eGift Card and a National CACFP Association Membership! Earn an entry by completing our giveaway form, letting CACFP know you plan to participate, registering for the Farm to CACFP Webinars, and following the National CACFP Association on Facebook!
Stages of Infant Development and Feeding Skills Developmental milestones are used as markers to ensure that infants and toddlers are growing in a healthy direction. Learning the stages that relate to feeding is important to understanding this process. Support healthy development!
Free Course- Serving with Care: Food Safety 101 Understanding food safety is vital for ensuring a safe and healthy kitchen environment. Watch the free course to learn about basic food safety and food handling practices.
Outreach & Engagement
Internship
CBS is excited to welcome an Outreach and Engagement Intern to our team for the Fall 2026 semester! We are actively recruiting potential candidates. See the full internship job description. Know someone who would be a good fit? Have them email a resume and cover letter to amara@cbsfoodprogram.com.
Funding Opportunity!
The Brian Dawkin Impact Foundation is now accepting applications for their 2026 Single-Parent Families Grant. This one time grant is available to single- parent families in Philadelphia, to help support afterschool programs such as education, athletics, arts, and mental wellness. Applications are being accepted through September 1. Apply here!
September Menus are Live!
September Hot and Box menus are ready!
Visit our CBS Food Program website and click on Menus (on the top right corner) to view and print menu(s) for your center.
As a reminder, menu(s) must be posted in a communal and visible area for all staff,
parents, and children to see. This is a requirement of the CACFP and something your monitors will look for during their visits.
Center Highlights!
The Salvation Army: Haven of Hope’s 2026-2027 Learning Zone Afterschool Program
Open enrollment is now open for Have of Hope’s Afterschool Program! The cost of the program is $40 per week, and ELRC is accepted. New this year, families with children enrolled in the Learning Zone program will have the option to attend on select school professional development days and during Spring Break. Additional program features include:
- School pickup from schools located within one mile of our facility at 1340 Brown Street
- Homework assistance
- Enrichment activities
- A safe and caring environment for children after school
For more information and to share widely, use this flyer! Questions? Email Burnadette Bordoni.
