Baldwin County Schools Awarded 229K To Give Fresh Fruits and Vegetables To Students
One of the issues we try to focus on as much as possible here at GrantNews is the topic of food insecurity, which has become an even more looming issue as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. Families all over the country who were already struggling are increasingly facing issues that involve finances, even as the economy is slowly starting to recover. It’s so important to ensure that children, especially from families who are low-income, can gain access to fresh fruits and vegetables as they grow up. A new program funded by a 229k grant awarded to the Baldwin County Schools will increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for students.
This grant has been awarded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and according to officials from the Baldwin County School system, these program funds will go towards the 2020-2021 school year. These funds will go towards an existing program that provides free fresh fruits and vegetables to elementary school students through the school day.
The schools that will benefit from this grant award are:
- Midway Hills Primary
- Midway Hills Academy
- Lakeview Academy
- Lakeview Primary schools
BCSD School Nutrition Director Susan Nelson spoke on the importance of this grant award:
This program has been a great addition to our schools. It helps promote healthy eating and the consumption of fresh fruits and veggies.
Students will sample more unusual and exotic items, such as passion fruit, dragon fruit, guava, jicama, and more.”
Nutrition Director Nelson
The federal program statutes require that these fresh fruits and vegetables be handed out at additional times that are not breakfast or lunch meals at school and that students should receive these as snacks for a healthier day.
Dr. Noris Price, Superintendent of Schools said this about this program:
I am so excited to continue this program because it helps expand children’s knowledge of the benefits fresh fruit and vegetables, and it broadens their perspective on the wide assortment of produce that exists.”
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