The Children’s Learning Center will sponsor a Child and Adult Care Food Program that started July 1 and will run through June 30, 2006.

“[The program] will allow the center to provide meals to more children without any additional cost to the families,” said Bill Finucane, treasurer for the CLC Board of Directors.

The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It reimburses the CLC for the meals.

The program provides meals for children in child-care centers, Head Start programs, Outside School Hours Centers, At-Risk After School Snack, Supper Programs and homeless shelters.

The amount of reimbursement is based on the number of children enrolled and the level of income of their household.

The center, which has been a staple in DeKalb for 35 years, started as a day-care facility for children of immigrant workers, Finucane said.

“(The) primary service group is infants through kindergarten,” Finucane said. “We also provide care for before and after school.”

The federal government has made changes in the income eligibility guidelines, which has broadened the group that is eligible for free meals and reduced-price meals, Finucane said.

The program is subject to guidelines that dictate what to serve and portion sizes.

“We follow specific guidelines,” said Nancy Teboda, curriculum director at the center. “We provide a well-balanced meal, served in a family-style setting.”

After some speculation about the future of the center, it will remain open.

“We’ve had some cash-flow issues lately,” Finucane said. “Part of that is that the state’s reimbursement rate for day care hasn’t increased in a number of years.”

The state of Illinois has also experienced a deficit which has slowed down the payments, he said.

The center has received support from the community and is planning a fundraiser for Aug. 18.

The drive-thru barbecue will be held at the center’s main location at 905 S. Fourth St. from 4 to 6:30 p.m.