Happy Volunteer Appreciation Week! This week, ANFP once again celebrated, recognized, and honored our volunteers. Our volunteers, no matter the role, keep us moving forward as an organization. They are behind the scenes doing the hard (and sometimes dirty) work and making decisions to benefit all members. Here at ANFP we see first-hand the time and dedication our volunteers give generously, and the determination to do things in the right way to ensure our members have what they need to succeed and improve the industry.

If you’d like to pass along the recognition and appreciation throughout the year to your fellow volunteers or members, here are a few ideas.

• Send a quick thank you to your fellow volunteers or attendees after your fall meeting. You can send (free) virtual cards or a handwritten note with a customized card using Canva.
• Be sure to recognize and thank your volunteers at your next meeting.
• Create a ‘shout out’ wall where members/attendees can post messages of gratitude. (This can be done virtually on your social media accounts as well!)
• Depending on your budget, you may wish to give a small token of appreciation to your volunteers. You can present the token at your membership meeting to inspire others to get involved.
• Recognize and celebrate your volunteers and/or members in your newsletter on a regular basis.
• Consider giving out awards/superlatives: Biggest Heart, The Fixer/Band-Aid/Problem Solver, Hall of Fame (longest serving, number of meetings attended, etc.), Most Enthusiastic, Most Likely to…etc.
  

We hope you enjoyed this week’s activities and celebrations. Know that you are appreciated! Thank you Volunteers!

Mark Your Calendar! Chapter Best Practices – Wednesday, November 4
Please join us for our next Chapter Best Practices Session: Unlocking Chapter Growth with Member ROI on Wednesday, November 4, at 2:00 p.m. CT. We will discuss how we can calculate and communicate member value and membership ROI at the chapter level. To register for the call, please click here. Chapter Leaders that participate in the live session will receive 1.0 hour GEN CE.

What does volunteering mean to you? How has it impacted your life or others? And what would you like others to know about volunteering with ANFP?

Share your volunteer journey and nominate yourself or another volunteer for ANFP Volunteer of the Month. Please contact Abigail Solazzo asolazzo@ANFPonline.org to submit your nomination. (All nominations will remain confidential.)

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champions:

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

ANFP is celebrating and recognizing holidays/observances and month-long celebrations throughout the year. To learn more about these observances, please visit our Facebook page, BCC webpage, and check out eNews, which will include links to our toolkits and other resources as well as other significant holidays. This month ANFP proudly recognizes:

As we come to the end of summer, it’s a great time to ensure we have all our administrative loose ends wrapped up and we’re ready to hit the ground running with fall meetings that are well under way. If you have not received your rebate, the required documents can still be downloaded via the chapter portal and submitted once completed for the first rebate installment. Perhaps more importantly, chapter bylaws should have been voted on (or in the process) by your chapter board and/or members. Following the board vote, and assuming it was approved, the ballot should have been distributed to your state members (either by National or your board).

While National has provided the ballot for members, chapter leaders should remind their professional and retired members in good standing to vote on the bylaws amendments as soon as possible if they have not done so. As a reminder to chapter leaders and members,

The revisions will:

• modernize the bylaws,
• align state governance with ANFP requirements,
• support electronic governance processes,
• clarify board and election procedures, and
• strengthen oversight of affiliate operations.

The summary of the amended bylaws can be found HERE, and the specific amendments can be found HERE. Members can view the revised bylaws in their entirety HERE.

Once they have read through the documents, they can follow the instructions below to vote.

Action Needed: Next Steps

• Contact your Chapter Leaders or National staff (asolazzo@ANFPonline.org) with any questions or concerns.
• TO VOTE: Please click HERE to vote on each proposed amendment.
• Please enter your state, membership type (Professional or Retired), and e-mail address.
• For each revision, you will see the original language, the proposed revision, and an explanation of the changes that are proposed. You will vote ‘Yes, I accept the revision.” or “No, I reject the revision.”
  

If you have any questions about these proposed amendments, please contact Abigail Solazzo at asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

This month we are proud to recognize Nicola Burke, CDM, CFPP, and Florida (FL) ANFP Past President. Nicola has a continued commitment to serving ANFP, supporting CDM, CFPPs and foodservice professionals, and helping strengthen the profession.

As an ANFP volunteer and chapter leader, she has made it a priority to create opportunities for education, networking, professional development, and engagement within the FL ANFP membership. She believes that volunteering is more than simply holding a position; it is about being willing to step up, serve others, share knowledge, and help create opportunities for those around you.

Through her involvement with ANFP, including her service during her time as the Florida ANFP Chapter President, she has worked to bring members together, promote continuing education, support professional growth, and increase awareness of the important role CDM, CFPPs play in healthcare foodservice. She has also worked to create meaningful chapter events and experiences that allow members to connect, learn from one another, and feel more engaged with the profession.

Her passion for ANFP comes from more than 30 years of experience in healthcare foodservice. She understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities the profession faces and wants to use her experience to help others succeed. Whether she is mentoring a fellow professional, helping plan an educational event, encouraging someone to become more involved, or simply being available when a member needs support, she believes every opportunity to serve can make a difference.

She is proud to give her time and experience to an organization that has given so much to her professionally. Being able to serve ANFP and advocate for the CDM, CFPP is something she values deeply.

If you would like to nominate yourself or another ANFP volunteer, please contact Abigail Solazzo at asolazzo@ANFPonline.org. (All nominations will remain confidential.)

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champions:

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

ANFP is celebrating and recognizing holidays/observances and month-long celebrations throughout the year. To learn more about these observances, please visit our Facebook page, BCC webpage, and check out eNews, which will include links to our toolkits and other resources as well as other significant holidays. This month ANFP proudly recognizes:

The Volunteer Handbook is just one of many tools and resources available to our chapter leaders. It contains information, policies, best practices, and anything else you may need to know as a chapter leader. Each year, the handbook is updated to ensure all new and updated information and policies are included (where appropriate). This ensures all chapter leaders and volunteers have the information they need to perform their roles successfully. An updated Volunteer Handbook will be available in early August in ANFPConnect under Volunteer Resources in Volunteer 101. Please see below for the most significant changes that are now included.

New Policy – Chapter Account Review (Page 49)
The National Board of Directors approved two new policies that apply to chapters that do not have leadership in place or if fraud is discovered in their Crowded account. These policies ensure accounts are secure and will help to reduce the possibility of fraud occurring for chapters that are inactive or accounts that may have been compromised. Please see the policies below:

• Account Activity: If suspicious activity/transactions appear on a chapter’s semi-annual bank statement via regular review by ANFP staff, staff will contact the chapter to clarify the transactions and request back-up documentation. Staff will regularly review the account while awaiting documentation and will cease review effective immediately upon receipt of appropriate documentation and reasonableness of the transaction. If documentation and a reasonable explanation cannot be provided, staff will regularly review the chapter’s account for the following 6 months to ensure no additional irregular activity occurs.
• Inactive Chapter Leadership: Should a chapter become inactive, whether through resignation of chapter leaders or communication has ceased by all chapter leaders and no replacements can be found, staff will review the chapter’s account on a monthly basis to ensure no fraudulent or suspicious activity occurs until a time when leadership becomes active once again.
  

New Policy – Multi-Year Venue Contracts (Page 61)
A policy that prohibits chapters from contracting multi-year contracts was approved by the National Board of Directors. This is to ensure that chapters can fulfill their future agreements and the incoming president and chapter leaders are able to determine the best course of action (along with the current president) for future events while in office.

• Policy: Chapters are not permitted to sign contracts that span more than one year from the date of signature or that include more than two events (i.e. Spring and Fall meeting), whether through one single contract or multiple contracts with the same venue for more than two events.
  

Update to Prior Approval
While the prior approval handbook is a separate document, a new policy was developed, which chapter leaders should be aware of. This policy states that the educational content presented at a chapter meeting must align with the scope of practice and endorsement or selling of a product or service as an educational session is prohibited. If necessary, CBDM staff may request additional information, and all presentations must utilize the approved slide deck that is currently available in the Prior Approvals toolkit on ANFPConnect in Volunteer Resources. This ensures the CDBM Prior Approval requirements are met and chapters are presenting educational sessions and not sales pitches or product endorsements.

• Policy: All sessions submitted for CBDM Prior Approval must provide substantive educational content aligned with the CBDM Scope of Practice to qualify for CE hours. Vendor representatives serving as speakers must present in an educational, non-promotional manner and may not market, sell, or endorse specific products or services during the session. All presentations must utilize the approved slide deck template available in the Prior Approval Toolkit & Meeting Resources. CBDM reserves the right, as part of its quality assurance process, to request additional documentation, including full slide decks, to ensure compliance with program standards.
  

If you have any questions about these policies, please contact Abigail Solazzo at asolazzo@ANFPonline.org.

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champions:

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Last month ANFP members, exhibitors, sponsors, industry peers, and chapter leaders convened in Orlando for the 2026 Annual Conference & Expo (ACE). Like years before, this was a unique opportunity for all attendees to network with peers, enhance their professional skills and knowledge, learn about new products and services, and recognize and celebrate industry changemakers. Volunteers and chapter leaders were also able to attend exclusive events to earn CE as well as be recognized for their achievements and celebrate their hard work. Read below to learn more about what our attendees experienced at ACE 2026.

Chapter Best Practices – Chapter leaders had an opportunity to meet face-to-face with their peers and discuss success stories and share best practices. Rosemary Aho (MI ANFP), Scott Schuld (WI ANFP), Jean Siegel, (IL ANFP), and Ariel Womack (GA ANFP), along with moderator Jeff Wuolett (MN ANFP), discussed their success stories about increasing member engagement, partnering with vendors for meetings, and what to consider during venue selection to increase attendance. Attendees also had the opportunity to dive into deeper discussions during the roundtable portion of the session and shared their own best practices with the wider audience. Some of the key takeaways that came from the session include:

• Partnering with vendors, exhibitors, manufacturers’ groups, brokage houses, and state healthcare associations can be a mutually beneficial relationship in many ways.
• Meeting elements such as the type of facility your attendees want (i.e. family-friendly), as well as the format of the meeting for individuals that cannot attend in person (virtual options) should be taken into consideration.
  
• Chapters can educate members about product and service decision-making as well as administrators on the value of the credential and investing in their professional development.
  

Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon – Volunteers and chapter leaders were treated to an exclusive luncheon and small tokens of appreciation for their hard work throughout the past year. Chapters were also presented with their annual awards for Communications, Government Affairs, Membership, and State Achievement. Additionally, our Diamond award nominees and finalists were recognized (see below). Congrats to all our award nominees, finalists, and winners, and thank you to all our volunteers for your hard work! (For a full list see our next issue of Edge.)

Diamond Award Nominee
Florida ANFP
Georgia ANFP
Idaho ANFP
Illinois ANFP
Iowa ANFP
Indiana ANFP
Kansas ANFP
MD, DE, DC ANFP
Minnesota ANFP
South Dakota ANFP
Texas ANFP
Wisconsin ANFP
Wyoming ANFP

Diamond Award Finalist
Georgia ANFP
Idaho ANFP
Illinois ANFP
Iowa ANFP
Kansas ANFP
Wisconsin ANFP

Honors Gala: Neon Nights – Attendees were decked out head-to-toe in their best and brightest neon attire for the annual Honors Gala. ACE award winners and the Diamond award-winning chapter (GA ANFP) were celebrated and recognized for their contributions and honored for their hard work and dedication to ANFP and the credential. Congrats to all our winners! Check out their acceptance speeches here. Learn about the accomplishments of our award winners in the next issue of Edge.

Congratulations to the following Chapter Champions:

Learn more about becoming a Chapter Champion HERE.

Welcome to the Summer 2026 edition of ROOTS Roundup! In this newsletter you will read about what is happening at ANFP Headquarters, updates from Craig Brightup; ANFP’s Washington DC representative, and valuable information you can share with your state chapter and leaders.

Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) was selected to receive ANFP’s Public Policy Leadership Award for 2026.   For several years Rep. Kiggans has saluted National CDM, CFPP Day in the Congressional Record based on her background as a geriatric nurse practitioner in Virgina long-term care facilities.

Prior to her tenure in Congress, Kiggans worked in the Virginia State Senate to advocate for patients, families, and caregivers in long-term care facilities, and she belongs to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Virginia Geriatrics Society, and American Nurses Association. View Kiggans’s remarks HERE.

A major milestone is on the horizon! This November, ANFP will celebrate National CDM, CFPP Day alongside the 10th anniversary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) formally recognizing the CDM, CFPP credential through federal regulations. This landmark recognition established the CDM, CFPP credential as the primary qualification for the Director of Food and Nutrition Services role in long-term care settings when a full-time dietitian is not employed, underscoring the vital contributions of Certified Dietary Managers, Certified Food Protection Professionals to the foodservice management profession.

To mark this special occasion, ANFP is planning exciting celebrations and opportunities to recognize the dedicated professionals who have helped shape the industry's success over the past decade. Stay tuned—you won't want to miss what's ahead!

Reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) remains a priority for the Jobs and Careers Coalition (JCC), of which ANFP is a member. A bipartisan reauthorization bill came close to passage in December 2024. On October 22, 2025, ANFP Washington Representative Craig Brightup met with Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC), who expressed interest in making WIOA more user-friendly for organizations like ANFP. Foxx shared that WIOA reauthorization efforts are currently on hold pending additional input from the White House.

In the meantime, the current WIOA legislation remains in effect and continues to provide opportunities for individuals pursuing the CDM, CFPP credential through American Job Centers nationwide. Individuals who qualify for a WIOA voucher may select career training courses from a center’s Eligible Training Provider List.

ANFP-PAC is the association’s federally registered political action committee (PAC) which is funded by personal donations from ANFP members in order to make contributions to candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Based on its most recent report filed with the Federal Election Commission, ANFP-PAC has $10,455.52 cash-on-hand. ANFP-PAC’s goal is to have $10,000-$15,000 cash-on-hand for the 2026 election cycle. ANFP members can donate by clicking HERE.