California awards Encore High School $200,000 grant for Farm to School program

Photo byThe HD Post

HESPERIA – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announced, September 6, the grant recipients for the Farm to School program. Encore High School received a $200,000 grant to provide hands-on learning through cooking classes.

CDFA says these projects help establish healthy eating habits that children can carry into adulthood.

“Supporting healthy food access is foundational to giving our kids the best start in life and preventing chronic disease,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.

Hesperia community a food desert

As part of California’s Farm to School Incubator Grant Program, CDFA awarded $52.8 million in funding for 195 projects across the state that will serve 1,650,985 students.

According to CDFA, this grant round offers four distinctive funding tracks and provides opportunities for K-12 school districts, technical assistance providers, early care and education centers, agricultural producers and food hubs.

In addition to cooking classes for students, Encore High School said their program will also address the needs of the community.

“This project will procure fresh local food for school meals and establish an edible school garden greenhouse to respond to the Hesperia community’s urgent needs as a recognized food desert with limited fresh produce access, high obesity rates among adults and students, and significant poverty levels,” says the grant recipient document.

Farm to School grant info

CDFA offers several grant programs for farmers, small businesses and nonprofits.

For more information about the Farm to School grant and other grant programs click here.

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