Public school districts in rural Alabama are getting a $1 million grant to improve their school lunch programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced earlier this month.
The Southeast Regional Office of the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced the grant May 17. Officially titled the “Team Nutrition Training Grant for School Nutrition Professional Readiness and Retention,” the funds support Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) efforts to develop a strong food-services workforce and create a Meal Pattern Training Program "to provide nutritious, palatable school meals that are compliant with USDA Meal Pattern Requirements," FNS states in the announcement.
Angelice Lowe, ALSDE's director of child nutrition programs, said improving the state's school-meals programs allows officials to "improve meal services, boost student satisfaction and participation, and increase program access for ALL students and families,” the FNS reports.
“We will also be able to work towards our ultimate goals of preventing childhood hunger, building strong families, and helping our communities thrive,” Lowe said in the statement.
FNS Southeast Regional Administrator Willie C. Taylor said the agency is thankful for the "tireless dedication" ALSDE nutrition professionals have shown in making sure school kids get healthy meals.
“Nutritious school meals are essential to the ability of America's children to learn, grow and be healthy,” Taylor said in the statement.
The USDA and the Biden Administration consider "nutrition security," the regular availability of affordable, healthy food, to be a national priority, according to FNS Administrator Cindy Long, and that school meals are proven to improve nutrition security.
“Research shows that they are the most nutritious foods most children receive in the day,” Long said in the EPA statement.
"While it's not easy to alter eating habits and schools face hurdles to improving nutrition," Long said, "the future payoffs of even incremental changes are extraordinary, and schools have shown that it is possible when we work together.”