Appendix B16 NAMES Introductory Letter

APPENDIX B16. NAMES INTRODUCTORY LETTER

OMB Number: 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

<DATE>

<PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME>

<HOUSEHOLD ADDRESS>

Dear <PARENT/GUARDIAN NAME>:

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is studying the breakfast and lunch meal programs at child care centers that are part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). <CHILD CARE CENTER NAME>, that your child attends, was randomly picked to be in this study. Your household is one of 5,400 households nationwide that was randomly picked to represent all households with children who attend a child care centers that is part of the CACFP.

USDA has asked Westat and its partners to do this study, the National Assessment of Meal Eligibility and Services (NAMES). Westat is a private research company with more than 50 years’ experience doing surveys and collecting data. Westat is located in Rockville, Maryland.

It is your choice to join the NAMES Study, or not. There are no penalties if you decide not to join. If you do join, we take special steps to keep anything you tell us private. Your answers will only be seen by Westat researchers doing this study and our report to USDA will combine your answers with those from others to summarize what we found. Your or your child’s name or address will never be used.

If you decide to join, we will ask you to speak with an interviewer at your home (or another place you choose) to answer questions from a survey. The survey asks about meals your child eats at the child care center, your opinions about them and eligibility for meal benefits. The survey also asks about the people who live with you, and your family income. We will ask you to do an income worksheet and gather proof of income to prepare for the interview.

Survey questions are only for research purposes. Nothing you say is shared with USDA, the child care center, or any agency that provides benefits to your household. Input from people like you is important so we can get as complete a picture as possible. If you become part of the NAMES Study, you will receive up to $50 as a thank you gift right after you finish the survey. The total amount depends on the tasks you do. You will get $30 for completing the survey and you can get $20 more if you provide documents to verify your income.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-XXXX. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data sources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the collection of information.

A study brochure is enclosed to provide more details. Someone from the NAMES Study will contact you within a few days to talk about the study and answer your questions. If you have questions before then, please call our toll-free number: 1-855-272-0058 or email us at <NAMES EMAIL>.

Thank you for thinking about the study.

Sincerely,

<ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE>

Roline Milfort, Ph.D., PMP

NAMES Project Director

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