Harrisburg, PA – Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced PA Farm Bill Farm-to-School Grants of $605,398 to 56 schools, school districts, and childhood education centers in 28 counties. Grants of up to $15,000 will support projects aimed at improving access to healthy, local food and increasing hands-on learning for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
“Farm-to-School grants are a solid investment in feeding hungry minds and feeding our future, Secretary Redding said. “Introducing children to fresh, locally produced food changes childrens’ lives. Those children introduce their families to new foods and what they have learned about local farmers who produce their food. The Shapiro Administration is making critical investments in childhood nutrition and agriculture to feed the future of our communities, and to broaden opportunities for children to succeed and Pennsylvania farms to prosper.”
Funded projects connect local farmers to schools to supply fresh, in-season products to be served in cafeterias, expanding market opportunities for farmers. Other projects support school gardens, field trips, and other hands-on agriculture education, enriching early awareness of career opportunities.
Grant recipients and amounts by county are as follows:
Adams
Conewago Valley School District — $6,133
YWCA Gettysburg and Adams County — $8,545
Allegheny
Penn Hills Charter School of Entrepreneurship — $15,000
Armstrong
Apollo-Ridge School District — $15,000
Bedford
Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries — $2,502
Watch Me Grow Early Learning Center — $15,000
Blair
Begin With Us Childcare and Preschool — $15,000
Bradford
Canton High School — $4,850
Northeast Bradford Elementary School — $2,400
Bucks
Bristol Township School District — $15,000
Butler
Butler Area School District — $15,000
Chester
Avon Grove Charter School — $7,500
Unionville Chadds Ford School District — $15,000
Treehouse Childcare Services — $15,000
Clearfield
DuBois Area School District — $15,000
Moshannon Valley School District — $11,209
Crawford
Titusville Area School District — $15,000
Cumberland
South Middleton School District — $15,000
Dauphin
Hansel & Gretel Early Learning Center — $10,000
Erie
Early Connections — $10,085
Franklin
Waynesboro Early Learning Center — $12,690
Huntingdon
Southern Huntingdon County School District — $15,000
Lackawanna
Discovery Montessori — $7,000
Lancaster
Central Manor Elementary School — $4,500
Conestoga Elementary School — $11,250
Hamilton Elementary School — $5,480
Penn Manor School District — $11,250
YWonderful Kids at YWCA Lancaster — $5,000
Lehigh
Kiddie City Early Learning Center — $15,000
Luzerne
The Learning Station — $15,000
Cheder Menachem — $9,940
Mercer
George Junior Republic — $15,000
Mifflin
Sacred Heart of Jesus School — $14,388
Monroe
Clear Run Elementary Center — $1,676
Clear Run Intermediate School — $1,676
Countryside Daycare and Preschool — $15,000
Swiftwater Elementary Center — $1,676
Tobyhanna Elementary Center — $872
Montour
The Learning Tree Childcare Center — $14,890
Philadelphia
Caring People Alliance — $15,000
The Children’s Playhouse Early Learning Center — $15,000
Children’s Village — $15,000
Frederick Goode — $11,900
Nurturing Creative Minds Child Care Center — $15,000
Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill Preschool — $15,000
School District of Philadelphia — $15,000
Wissahickon Charter School Fernhill Campus — $10,339
Pike
Green Trees Early Learning Center — $5,000
Washington
Avella Area School District — $7,000
California Academy of Learning Charter School — $10,874
California Area School District — $15,000
York
Dover Area School District — $15,000
Little Blessings Day Care — $2,700
Southern York County School District — $15,000
Find a map of previous Farm to School and other PA Farm Bill grant recipients in your area as well as details of initiatives to grow and sustain Pennsylvania agriculture at agriculture.pa.gov/pafarmbill