Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Gloucester Public Schools Awarded State Grant

The Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (FRESH) grant program is designed to help school districts deepen children’s understanding of where their food comes from and how it is grown. These funds can be used to support a variety of initiatives that improve school food and nutrition programs, including: 

  • Kitchen equipment: This includes items such as refrigerators, stoves, ovens, and other appliances that are used to prepare and serve food.  
  • Training for kitchen staff: This includes training on food safety, nutrition, and cooking techniques. 
  • Training for educators and other school staff: This includes training on how to incorporate lessons about the food system into their curriculum. 
  • Infrastructure and programming for activities like school gardens: This includes items such as land, tools, and materials for gardening, as well as programming for students to learn about agriculture, food production, and distribution.

These are just a few examples of how these funds can be used. Schools are encouraged to be creative and innovative in their use of these funds to improve the food and nutrition programs that benefit their students.