The Arizona Department of Education is now accepting applications for the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) for school year 2013-2014.  To access the application and for more information about this grant opportunity, please visit: http://www.azed.gov/health-nutrition/nslp/fresh-fruit-program/. Applications are due by 5:00pm on Friday, May 10, 2013. 

One school district will be awarded ten pieces of equipment through a grant to improve school meal kitchen facilities! Application due April 30, 2013.

The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) and Winston Industries are committed to supporting school foodservice nationwide.

Now in its sixth year, the Winston Industries Equipment Award Grant program will award equipment to one (1) school district in need of improving its school meal kitchen facilities through a competitive grant process.

Winston will be awarding 10 pieces of equipment through this competitive grant process to one child nutrition program. Equipment includes holding cabinets, holding drawers and thermalizers.

To learn more about the application and equipment available, visit www.schoolnutrition.org/scholarships.

For an update on last year’s recipient and some tips on how to fill out your application, visit http://beyondbreakfast.org/2012-winston-industries-equipment-award-grant-winner-deborah-taylor-apply-win/

The online application must be submitted by 11:59 EDT on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.

With a 1.5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation, the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Institute for Youth, Education and Families in partnership with the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) has launched the second phase of CHAMP (Cities Combating Hunger through Afterschool Meal Programs, which now also includes the summer nutrition programs).

Twenty city teams will be chosen to participate in one of two leadership academies that provide training on the Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs. The three person city teams can be comprised of a city official and other key stakeholders, such as anti-hunger advocates and school officials. Cities that participate in the leadership academies will have the opportunity to apply for a grant to increase access to the Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs.

The CHAMP initiative provides an excellent opportunity for anti-hunger advocates to engage with city leaders and encourage them to apply to participate in the leadership academies in order to make afterschool and summer meals for low-income children a priority in their cities.

For more information about the CHAMP initiative visit the NLC website. City leaders can also download the application to participate in one of the regional leadership academies. For more information, contact Denise Belser at (202) 626-3028 or belser@nlc.org or Imani Hope at (202) 626-3180 or ihope@nlc.org.

Demonstrating exceptional programs in nutrition and physical education, this Rio Rico school is only the second Arizona school to achieve the GOLD HUSSC award.  They are setting a high standard for the rest of the district (and state) to follow!  Principal Manuel Carrillo, former principal and current Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction Stephen Schadler and Child Nutrition Director Rachel Carroll, provided the vision, passion, and perseverance to create a school culture which values a healthy school environment as fundamental to learning. 

Congratulations to the entire School Health Advisory Council and HUSSC champions at Mountain View Elementary, including: Rohnda Kridler (Physical Education coordinator), Isela Brown, Evelyn Hanna, Maritza Leyva (menu specialist), Alma Garcia (cafeteria supervisor) and her staff, and Chris Bachelier as well as the student population who participated actively in making healthy choices at their school! This is a difficult task and they rose to the challenge.  Mountain View will now maintain these high standards for the next four years, during which time they may also strive to pursue the HealthierUS School Challenge Gold of Distinction Award along with several other Arizona schools who have already submitted applications.  Once again, we congratulate Mountain View Elementary on this high achievement! 

For more information about how you might achieve the HealthierUS School Challenge, contact us.