Child and Adult Care Food Program Branch
This application is for the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Preschools Shaping Healthy Impressions through Nutrition and Exercise (SHINE) Program.
Preschools SHINE is a statewide recognition program that showcases the outstanding work that many California child care centers and family child care homes do every day to promote the health and well-being of young children.
Agencies applying for multiple sites must submit a separate application for each site interested in applying. This includes current Preschools SHINE awardees and new applicants.
For assistance with completing this application, please contact Madison Fellenz, Nutrition Education Consultant, by email at
PreschoolsSHINE@dss.ca.gov.
For more information about the CDSS Preschools SHINE Program, visit the Preschools SHINE web page.
Preschools SHINE web page.
EligibilityWho may apply?
California child care centers and family child care homes that currently participate in the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) with at least 50 percent of children aged two to five years enrolled in their program may apply. Sponsoring organizations may apply on behalf of a site.
The Preschools SHINE program is structured so all child care sites can achieve a beginning certification level (bronze), and then over time, make additional improvements to the site’s wellness environment to reach higher certification levels (silver and gold). There is a total of 10 elements.
To apply for any level of SHINE certification, a site must meet the requirements in Element 1 (Participation in the CACFP) and meet the criteria within a minimum of five out of the nine remaining elements.
Element 1: Participation in the CACFP (required)
Element 2: Promoting Quality Meals
(optional)
Element 3: Mealtime Environment
(optional)
Element 4: Nutrition Education
(optional)
Element 5: Edible Gardening
(optional)
Element 6: Physical Activity
(optional)
Element 7: Professional Development
(optional)
Element 8: Wellness Policies
(optional)
Element 9: Partnerships
(optional)
Element 10: Leadership Team
(optional)
To achieve the
bronze level certification, a site must meet the criteria within five additional elements out of the remaining nine elements.
To achieve the
silver level certification, a site must meet the criteria within seven additional elements out of the remaining nine elements.
To achieve the
gold level certification, a site must meet the criteria within all ten elements.
Important information: For applicants that want to meet Element 8: Wellness Policies, please include a copy of your site's wellness policies with your application.
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