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Area school districts receive funding for fruits, vegetables

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The state Department of Education has awarded more than $7 million in funding to 266 Pennsylvania schools, including three area elementary centers, as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program.

On Thursday, the DOE released a list of grant recipients. Charleroi Area Elementary Center will receive $39,900 to provide students with free, fresh snacks during the school day.

“It’s an amazing program,” said Rob Lenhart, director of nutrition, noting some teachers approach him with worries students are not eating at home. “The vendors that I deal with, they bring in exotic stuff: blood oranges, rhubarb, jiacama. Some of the stuff I’ve never heard of.

“We’re able to serve fresh fruit and vegetables to every single child in the classroom, along with education on that fruit and vegetable, three or four days a week.”

This is the second year Charleroi Area School District has received the FFVP grant, and Superintendent Dr. Ed Zelich said the program adds value to his district’s education by introducing students to fruits and vegetables they may not have access to, or may never have tasted.

“Our economic disadvantage rate runs around 67%. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables – some parents … are not able to buy fresh food,” Zelich said. This is “just another leveling of the playing field. If the child is hungry, there’s no chance of learning.”

Along with CASD, Brownsville Area Elementary School has been awarded $53,830, and Monessen City School District will be awarded $26,460 for its elementary center.

As of press time Thursday, Monessen City School District had not received its grant award letter in the mail, said Amy Bukowski, superintendent’s secretary.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program was launched in Pennsylvania in 2004, and by 2008 had expanded to all 50 states.

The program aims to enrich students’ diets by offering access to a variety of fruits and veggies during the school day. Snacks offer students a chance to try new fruits and vegetables, expand their palettes and improve their diets.

Grants are awarded to elementary schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, with free and reduced eligibility rates of 50% or higher.

A limited number of elementary schools are awarded grants each year based on federal funding. The program is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and administered at the state level by the Pennsylvania DOE.

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