AUBURN — The Auburn School Department has announced it has been awarded financial support by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School Program in an effort to connect school cafeterias and students with local farmers and producers. Auburn is one of 74 projects spanning 39 states.
The Auburn School Department and the Lewiston School Department joined with St. Mary’s Nutrition Center to prepare and design a grant application to benefit students in both school districts. The $45,000 planning grant started Dec. 1, 2015, and will run until Sept. 30, 2017.
“Farm to School initiatives encourage our children to try new foods, learn about locally grown produce and the importance of healthy food choices,” said Katy Grondin, Auburn superintendent. “The Auburn School Department is proud to be part of this growing movement and excited to collaborate with our friends across the river. By exploring procurement of more fresh and local foods and more garden-based nutrition education, we hope to uncover new opportunities that will help our students learn, succeed and maintain good health.”
St. Mary’s Nutrition Center is under contract with the Auburn School Department to coordinate and perform the grant activities in conjunction with Paula Rouillard, Auburn nutrition director, and Alisa Roman, Lewiston nutrition director, and other community partners. The team will work to broaden and strengthen the Androscoggin Farm to School Network as a shared learning community; conduct research and analysis to identify current initiatives, best practices, needs, challenges and strategies to alleviate or reduce barriers to farm-to-school activities in Lewiston-Auburn; foster local procurement relationships between school personnel and farmers and producers; and continue the operation of pilot school-garden programs to develop models for sustainability.
This grant-funded research and planning process will culminate in the drafting of a comprehensive Farm to School Implementation Plan that may be submitted to the USDA for further grant funding in the future, potentially bringing more resources into the schools and community.
In recognition of National Nutrition Month in March, several Farm to School activities are planned by grant partners. The Nutrition Center’s Youth Campaign Crew will conduct student taste tests at the Lewiston High School cafeteria, and the Androscoggin Farm to School Network will hold its quarterly meeting from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 29, at Montello Elementary School in Lewiston. The meeting will focus primarily on helpful resources for teachers as spring approaches. Parents and other interested residents are welcome to attend.
FMI: www.facebook.com/AndroscogginFarmToSchoolNetwork.
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