Gurdon Public Schools is one of 11 recipients of state grant funding that fosters the addition of vegetables into student lunches
arkadelphian.com
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture announced the winners of the 2024 Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant Program. The program will provide $41,250 in grants to public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities and alternative learning environments.
The funds impact 3,993 students in 11 counties across the state. Selected schools will receive grants of up to $5,000 to purchase equipment, improve school meal quality, and increase student consumption of specialty crops.
Gurdon will use its $4,697 from grant funding to purchase equipment that aids cafeteria staff in preparing fresh foods and vegetables at both of the district’s cafeterias.
The equipment the district will purchase a pair each of food processors, tomato slicers, wedges, fruit and vegetable dicers and french-fry cutters.
In recent years Gurdon has used other grants to improve cafeteria equipment, including the addition of a salad bar to its 2-12 cafeteria, which has proven to be a hit among students, said Wendy Schaeffer, school-based health center coordinator and district grant manager.
“We have found that if you offer salad bar and fresh food, students will take advantage of the offering,” Schaeffer said. “That’s our goal: to increase the number of kids willing to eat at school and increase the amount of healthy food we’re able to offer.”
The Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant was initiated in 2023 to increase schools’ capacity to process and serve more specialty crops to students through school cafeterias and other school feeding programs.
“Farm to school is most impactful when schools are able to connect all three pillars – school gardens, education, and local procurement,” said Arkansas Farm to School Coordinator Jessica Chapman. “We are pleased to administer the new Farm to School Kitchen Equipment Grant Program to provide an opportunity for schools to start or expand on local procurement efforts in their school cafeterias.”
Other grant recipients are:
• Batesville High School, Independence County
• Good Morning Sunshine Preschool, Yell County
• Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center, Washington County
• Marshall High School, Searcy County
• Mountain View School District, Stone County
• Mrs. Krystal’s Preschool, Sharp County
• Rivercrest School District, Mississippi County
• Salem High School, Fulton County
• Shirley School District, Van Buren County
• University District Development Corporation/Oak Forest Community Garden, Pulaski County
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