Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $300,000 to Expand Nutrition Learning Opportunities for Students

HANOVER — State and local officials gathered at the South Shore YMCA today to tour its educational farm and highlight a state grant designed to help school districts and child care centers deepen children’s understanding of where their food comes from and how it is grown.
 
The South Shore YMCA is one of 17 recipients of the Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (FRESH) grant program. The grants encourage existing National School Lunch Program and Child and Adult Food Care Program sponsors to prepare nutritious meals from scratch while educating students about the ingredients, where they come from, and how they are produced.
 
“Learning about food, how it’s produced, and where it comes from can positively impact students’ lifelong health,” Governor Maura Healey said. “Our administration is proud to award these grants to schools and child care centers across the state to support their efforts to expand opportunities for students to learn about nutrition.”
 
“Building the capacity of schools to offer healthier meal choices and teaching children about those choices will improve students’ health now and well into their future,” Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll said. “It’s great to see DESE and EEC partner on expanding these learning opportunities to students of all ages.”
 
These state-funded, competitive grants total $300,000 and were given by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in consultation with the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). Funds can be used for, but not limited to: (a) kitchen equipment; (b) training kitchen staff; (c) training educators and other school staff on how to incorporate lessons about the food system into their curriculum; and (d) infrastructure and programming for activities like school gardens that help students learn about agriculture, food production and distribution.
 
At the YMCA, the FRESH grant and other grants have helped expand the educational farm, which is used in both early care and after school programs.
 
“By giving students the opportunity to learn about nutrition, where food comes from and how to prepare it, we are able to start them on a path toward lifelong health,” said Secretary Tutwiler. “These grants are a great opportunity to bring learning to life and allow even more Massachusetts students to get hands-on food education.”
 
“Nutrition isn’t only about what takes place in the cafeteria – Massachusetts students can benefit from learning about the entire food cycle,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley. “These grants can help bring this topic into school curriculum and offer hands-on learning opportunities, like the use of school gardens. It was great to join our partners at the Y today to see funds like these in action."
 
“Access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food is essential for a child’s health, well-being, and learning,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “Our child care and out-of-school-time providers are a critical support for children and families, ensuring access to quality education so families can work, as well as food and other resources to meet the needs of the whole family. We have seen firsthand today the impact this grant program is having to help our youngest learners explore where their food is coming from and how it is prepared – connecting them to their local communities and farmers.”

“We are delighted to see a diversity of programs and communities receive funding to further food education opportunities and enhance school meals,” said Simca Horwitz, co-director of Mass Farm to School. “We are thankful to our Massachusetts legislators for making these funds available to schools and childcare centers across the Commonwealth.”
 
The recipients are as follows:
 

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