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Shopping
at Harvest Hope When you shop for your Kids Cafe at Harvest Hope, you will
receive food free of charge. The first time you come in, you will need to
make an appointment so that we can show you around the warehouse and
explain shopping procedures. You will be permitted to choose foods that
are appropriate for Kids Cafe meals (or BackPack Program foods, if you
have one). We strongly encourage you to choose nutritious foods and to
think creatively about how you can use available food to create healthy
meals that kids will enjoy (see the sample materials for creative,
nutritious meal ideas). Meal
Service We want to work with you to make each Kids Cafe meal as
complete, nutritious, and tasty as possible. We encourage you to
incorporate lean meats, fruits, vegetables, and healthy dairy products
into each meal. We also encourage you not to serve foods high in sugar,
fat, and sodium. The minimum requirement is that you must serve at least 2
out of 4 components for each meal. The 4 components and minimum
appropriate serving sizes are as follows:
Download specific
guidelines. When you serve meals, you are required to serve each child to
ensure that they receive at least two of the meal components. This can be
done cafeteria-style, where each kid is served individually, or meals can
be prepared and placed at each child’s seat. Monthly
Reporting Monthly Reports can now be completed online. As our program continues to grow and more excellent sites join our network, online reporting will help maximize our time and impact as coordinators. The information you send each month is valuable, and we want to get the most out of your efforts. Your use of these electronic forms will enable us to spend more time helping you to grow your program in addition to helping other programs get off the ground. Two forms are required each month: (1) a monthly report and (2) a menu log. These forms must be submitted to Harvest Hope by the 5th of the next month. (1) Monthly Report Form Click here to complete the Monthly Report Form. You will be asked for your username and password. If you don't remember your username or password, please send an e-mail to kidscafe@harvesthope.org. If this is your first time using the online monthly report, and you would like to practice first, please click on this Test Version. However, if you complete the Test Version you will still need to complete the real Monthly Report Form. (2) Menu Form You must plan your menu in advance. For each day, you must
record the food you will serve and the exact serving size
(ex: 8 oz.). After you shop for the first time, you
must plan your first month’s menu ahead of time. Fill out the menu form
for the whole month and send it in within 1 week after your first shopping
trip; this is required for Harvest Hope to get DSS reimbursement
for food. After your first
month, plan your menus at least one week ahead. Keep the menu posted in a
visible place at all times. After meal service each day, record the number
of meals you served on the menu form. THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY THE
SAME AS YOUR SITE'S DAILY ATTENDANCE. It is possible that a child could
attend the program and choose not to eat or leave before the meal is
served. DSS requires you to keep an attendance log and a separate record
of meals served. The menu form can be mailed or faxed to Harvest Hope (fax 803.254.6011 attn: Kids Cafe). A blank form can be downloaded here (right-click on link and select "Save Target As"). Example menu form (right-click on link and select "Save Target As") We no longer require you to send in your attendance log.
However, you must maintain attendance records on-site and be able to
produce them upon request during an announced or an unannounced site
visit. If you would like to track attendance electronically, we created a Microsoft Excel file that automatically calculates monthly attendance totals for each child. There is also an example file showing you how to use it. Blank attendance log (right-click on link and select "Save Target As") Example attendance log (right-click on link and select "Save Target As") Note: When you open these files, only type in the white cells. Do not type in the colored cells. |