State Grants Expand Access to Healthy, Local Food in Schools, Childcare Centers
BOSTON — Members of the Healey-Driscoll administration visited Watertown Public Schools on Feb. 5 to celebrate $1.2 million in grants and see examples of investments in access to locally grown food for children.
In December, the administration announced $1.2 million in state- and federally funded grants to 24 school districts and 10 early education and care programs to help them grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals, and staff about the local food system.
As part of the visit, officials saw Watertown High School’s Freight Farm, a 40-foot shipping container outfitted to grow food year-round, providing food for cafeterias in Watertown’s five school buildings. The farm produces about 1,000 heads of lettuce per week, helping to feed students in Watertown’s school cafeterias, as well as families in need in Watertown through donations to the Watertown Community Fridge, a shared food resource at the Watertown Free Public Library. Officials also visited the J.R. Lowell Elementary School, which has an outdoor school garden during the growing season.
Funding for this work is through the latest round of grants from Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (MA FRESH) and Coordination and Optimization of Resources and Partnerships. The MA FRESH grant program is administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in collaboration with the Department of Early Education and Care. Eligible applicants include early education programs that offer meals through the Child and Adult Care Feeding Program and K-12 schools that offer meals through the National School Lunch Program.
“Every student in Massachusetts deserves access to healthy, nutritious school meals,” Gov. Maura Healey said. “Our administration has made significant investments to ensure students can rely on school meals every day, and through programs like MA FRESH, we’re deepening that commitment by connecting classrooms to local farms, strengthening our food system, and helping kids build healthy habits for life.”
Statewide, recipients are using the money for school gardens, indoor hydroponic growing systems, and culinary classes. The grants also support professional development for nutrition professionals and educators to enhance school meal offerings. Increasing access to healthy, locally sourced school and childcare meals is a focus Healey’s Anti-Hunger Task Force’s work to mitigate federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and adopt long-term solutions to hunger.