Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $850,000 for Locally Grown, Nutritious Food in Schools and Child Care Centers
After Trump Administration cut funding, MA FRESH grants awarded to 26 school districts, 11 early education programs
BOSTON – On the heels of the Trump Administration cancelling the federal Fiscal Year 2025 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, the Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced it is awarding $850,000 in state-funded, competitive Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health (FRESH) grants to 26 school districts and 11 early education and care programs. This funding supports National School Lunch Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program sponsors to start or expand their capacity to grow or procure local food and educate students, teachers, school nutrition professionals and staff about the local food system.
“While the Trump Administration continues to take away food from children and families, and hurt local businesses and farmers, Massachusetts is continuing to prioritize programs like these,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We know that our students succeed when they have access to healthy food, and we can create partnerships that support local businesses and farms in the process.”
"Visiting farms and agricultural businesses across Massachusetts has given me a deep appreciation for the dedication it takes to sustain our local food system," said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll. “The MA FRESH grants help provide students with hands-on experiences and ensure schools have the resources they need to invest in our local food economy by purchasing food produced here.”
"It’s important for students to understand where food comes from and how it is produced and prepared. The MA FRESH grants are an important tool that connect students to their local food system and produce, while also providing STEM educational opportunities focused on food literacy, nutrition, plant science and agriculture,” said Education Secretary Dr. Patrick Tutwiler.
“All children deserve access to nutritious food, not only essential for health and well-being, but also fuel for learning. This grant program helps our youngest learners explore where their food comes from, how it is prepared, and what a nutritious meal looks like – contributing to rich and healthy relationships with food while building community with local farmers and the larger food system. These funds will help support child care and out-of-school-time providers to create innovative ways to inspire future generations of farmers, chefs, plant biologists, and nutritionists,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw.
Funds can be used for infrastructure and programming for curricular and extracurricular activities, such as school gardens, indoor hydroponic growing systems, culinary classes and farm field trips. It also supports professional development for nutrition professionals to enhance school meal offerings and professional development for educators to bring food literacy activities or curriculum to students. Further, the funding can be used for kitchen equipment for preparing unprocessed or minimally processed local foods for school meals and to support new staff salaries, stipends or consultant fees to ensure activities are strategically integrated into the classroom, cafeteria and community.
“We are delighted to see a diversity of programs and communities receive funding to further food education opportunities, enhance school meals with local foods, and establish food literacy programs in schools and early education programs. We are thankful to our Massachusetts legislators for making these funds available to schools and early education programs across the Commonwealth to do this important work,” said Simca Horwitz, co-director of Massachusetts Farm to School.
The state FY25 recipients:
MA FRESH
Billerica Public School District: $16,668
Boston Public School District: $30,000
Brockton Day Nursery, Inc: $30,000
Brockton Public School District: $20,000
Chicopee Public School District: $1,985
Communities United, Inc: $21,112
Community Action, Inc: $28,053
Dennis-Yarmouth Public School District: $26,870
East End House: $29,214
Gill-Montague Public School District: $27,540
Hatfield Public School District : $3,848
Leominster Public School District: $10,565
Lowell Public School District: $30,000
Merrimack Valley Young Men’s Christian Association, Inc: $20,785
New Bedford Public School District: $28,054
North Middlesex Public School District: $6,550
Orange Public School District: $6,710
Oxford Public School District: $2,950
People Incorporated: $22,871
Provincetown Public School District: $8,000
South Shore YMCA: $21,648
Taunton Public School District: $29,985
Westford Public School District: $16,600
Whitman-Hanson Public School District: $30,000
Worcester Public School District: $30,000
MA FRESH - Coordination and Optimization of Resources and Partnerships
Acton-Boxborough Public School District: $28,961
Boston Public School District: $48,316
Bristol County Agricultural Public School District: $35,420
Chicopee Public School District: $16,620
Collaborative for Regional Educational Service and Training: $14,950
Crispus Attucks Children’s Center: $17,600
Frontier Public School District : $27,372
Gloucester Public School District: $16,075
MetroWest YMCA: $15,023
Nauset Regional Public School District: $17,700
Northampton Public School District: $15,125
Robbins Children’s Programs, Inc: $26,591
Salem Public School District: $44,039
Watertown Public School District: $26,200
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