Franklin Area Receives Over $7K for Equipment As Part of Statewide Cafeteria Grant Initiative

| February 16, 2019

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced on Thursday that more than $885,000.00 in competitive grants has been awarded to 79 elementary, middle and high schools across the state for the purchase of new food service equipment for cafeterias.

The following Franklin Area School District buildings were awarded the following amounts:

– Central Elementary School received $3,111.82 for a reach-in refrigerator.

– Victory Elementary School received $3,928.57 for a reach-in freezer.

“Research shows that students perform better in school when they have access to regular, nutritious meals,” said Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera. “These grants will help schools upgrade equipment so they can continue to provide the essential meals that our students need throughout the day.”

Funding for the grants is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is awarded to schools which participate in the National School Lunch Program and have 50 percent or more of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Schools often use the grants to purchase new refrigerators, freezers, stoves and dishwashers.

Since taking office, the Wolf Administration has been on the forefront of the issue of food security and nutrition. During his tenure, Governor Wolf has established the Food Security Partnership in 2015, comprised of the secretaries of the departments of Aging, Agriculture, Community and Economic Development, Education, Health, and Human Services; unveiled the commonwealth’s food security plan – Setting the Table: A Blueprint for a Hunger-free PA in 2016; and introduced the Governor’s School Breakfast Initiative in 2017.

Under the School Breakfast Initiative, grants of up to $5,000 are available for schools to implement a school breakfast program using an “alternative serving method,” like grab-and-go, or Breakfast in the Classroom. Last year, 200 schools were awarded $900,000 from the inaugural round of grants.

The food service equipment grants awarded today can assist schools with purchasing equipment to use in a school breakfast program.

A list of schools receiving food service equipment grants can be found here.


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