Food Program Addresses Obesity and Childcare Shortage - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

The need for childcare is on the rise.

And so is the incidence of childhood obesity.

Heartland Child Nutrition hopes to address these issues with The Child and Adult Care Food Program.

The federally-funded program reimburses childcare providers for serving healthy meal options.

Providers follow the program's guidelines in what they serve to the kids.

The average reimbursement is 4 dollars and 36 cents per kid per day.

Provider Angie Neigum has been involved in the program for 15 years.

She says food costs are one of her highest expenses.

And she says the program covers one good trip to the grocery store every month.

"A lot of people say, is it even worth it for the paperwork and the hassle. And I say, 'Look at it this way, if you were standing in line at the grocery store and someone came up behind you and said, 'I'm going to buy your whole cart of groceries,' you wouldn't turn them down.' So, one good trip a month. And that's good enough for me," says Angie Neigum.

Executive Director Shirleen Piela says the program offers many health benefits for children.

And she hopes the program encourages more people to provide in-home daycare services.

"This might help them make their business more profitable. At the same time, by being on the childhood and adult food program, it helps with the obesity issue, because kids are eating healthier. We encourage the fresh fruits and vegetables, which someone who is not on the food program couldn't possibly afford and the kids wouldn't get good meals," says Shirleen Piela of Heartland Child Nutrition.

If you would like to learn more, you can call Heartland Child Nutrition at 250-0140.