The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently awarded 170 Maine schools $2,022,150 for distribution during the 2014-15 school year to provide fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost to students. The USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides funds to school districts where 50 percent or more of their student population in grades pre-k through eight are eligible for free and reduced price meals.
A list of the Maine schools who received the award is available on the Department’s School Nutrition website.
The USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program provides an opportunity to educate students on fresh produce and exposes them to varieties of fruits and vegetables they might never have otherwise tried.
For more information about the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, contact Maine DOE’s Stephanie Stambach at stephanie.stambach@maine.gov or 207-624-6732.