Welcome to the very first edition of The Lunchbox Letter: Plates & Possibilities! We’re excited to share this new way of connecting with the families, childcare providers, afterschool programs, community partners, and supporters who make the CBS Food Program’s mission possible. Each edition will feature program updates, nutritious meal ideas, success stories, important resources, and the incredible impact we’re making together by ensuring children throughout the Philadelphia area have access to healthy meals. Thank you for being an essential part of our community. Together, we’re filling lunchboxes, nourishing young minds and bodies, and creating brighter possibilities for every child we serve.
CACFP Annual Training 2026
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.
- Wednesday, August 5th from 2pm-3pm at 85 Tomlinson Rd.
- Thursday, August 6th from 1pm-3pm at 118 W. Chelten Ave.
- Tuesday, August 18th from 1pm-3pm at 4824 Princeton Ave.
- Tuesday, August 25th from 10am-12pm at 36 W. Chelten Ave.
- Saturday, August 29th from 10am-12pm at 100 W. Oxford St.
- Tuesday, September 8th from 10am-12pm at 7228 Elmwood Ave.
- Wednesday, September 23rd from 1pm-3pm at 1272 Veterans Hi
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.
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! Labor Day & Yom Kippur
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!
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
Summer is a time when many children may not have access to the free and reduced-price meals they get during the school year, and households might need a little extra help putting meals on the table.
SUN Bucks, Pennsylvania’s Summer EBT program, is a new grocery benefits program that provides households with a one-time payment of $120 for each eligible child to buy food while school is out. Benefits can be used at local participating retailers to purchase groceries. Many children will get these benefits automatically, but some households will need to apply. The benefits will be added to an existing SNAP/TANF EBT card or a newly issued Summer EBT card.
Use the Eligibility Navigator to determine if your child is eligible for SUN Bucks and whether you need to apply. If needed, submit an online application for SUN Bucks here by August 31st.
For more information, flyers, resources, and social media toolkits, visit DHS’s website.
CACFP Resources
Free Course: Learn about Cultural Foods
Explore ways to bring diverse flavors to your CACFP Menus with our free on-demand course. You’ll learn the value of offering culturally inclusive meals, as well as practical strategies for adapting menus to accommodate diverse tastes and traditions
August 10th at 2pm: Farm to ECE and the Dietary Guidelines for America
Join us for a virtual coffee chat exploring the connections between Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Attendees will have the opportunity to learn key highlights from the DGA, share experiences, and discuss practical ways to align Farm to ECE efforts with nutrition recommendations in early care settings.
Summer Food Service Program
Many centers offer specific programs for Summer, including a special Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Use this flyer and these palm cards (available in multiple languages) to let families know about Summer Meal Service sites near them! Families can also use the interactive map to find SFSP sites. For participating SFSP sites, use this flyer and fill in with your center’s meal information to advertise your meal service(s)!
HeadStart/Pre-K/At-Risk Programs- Action Required!
Back to School is right around the corner! CBS is already working on ordering and planning for the start of our school-year programs.
If you are a center who is planning to operate a HeadStart Program or any Pre-K programs, please ensure you send your Master List of children to be served to info@cbsfoodprogram.com by Wednesday, August 19th.
If you are a center who is planning to operate an At-Risk After School Program, please ensure you send your estimated number of participating children to info@cbsfoodprogram.com by Wednesday, August 19th.
August Menus are Live!
August is already here and both our 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!
Grace Trinity Academy is partnering with Harcum College to offer center staff the opportunity to get an Associates Degree, with convenient evening courses and scholarships/financial aid. For more information or to register, complete the application here. Questions? Reach out to Dr. Mrinalini Sebastian at msebastian@harcum.edu. Share the program flyer with anyone who may be interested!
Any news to share from your center? This newsletter is meant to be interactive! If your center is hosting an event, looking for donations/volunteers, has a fun or exciting story to highlight- we would love to include it here! Email amara@cbsfoodprogram.com with any content you’d like us to include in future newsletter editions!
