Congressman Ciro Rodriguez Meets with USDA in Eagle Pass

Eagle Pass, TX—Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (TX-23) today visited Eagle Pass with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Nutrition and Consumer Services Nancy Montanez Johner to discuss the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).  CACFP serves nutritious meals and snacks to eligible children and adults who are enrolled for care at participating child and adult care centers, day care homes, and adult day care centers.

“Making sure our most vulnerable populations eat nutritiously is important to our community,” said Rodriguez.  “It is my pleasure to show Undersecretary Johner the great things that the USDA is doing for South Texas.”
Each day, 2.9 million children and 86,000 adults are served with CACFP. The goals of the program are to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults, promote development of good eating habits, and integrate nutritious food service with organized day care services.

In Eagle Pass Congressman Rodriguez and Undersecretary Johner toured the Key West Adult Day Care Center, the South Texas Food Bank Distribution Site, and met with Maverick County Judge Jose Aranda and Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster.

“We must continue to ensure that those who are most in need can be shown healthy habits and provided healthy food that will benefit them later in life,” continued Rodriguez.

Public or private nonprofit adult day care facilities which provide structured, comprehensive services to nonresidential adults who are functionally impaired, or aged 60 and older, may participate in CACFP as independent or sponsored centers.  For profit centers may be eligible for CACFP if at least 25 percent of their participants receive benefits under title XIX or title XX.