State Education Department Announces Fresh Fruit And Vegetable Program Grants

Elementary school students in 51 schools around the state will be getting fresh fruit and vegetables for snacks during their school day under a new program being administered by the New York State Education Department. A total of $1,730,384 is being allocated through grant awards to 51 schools as part of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The funds became available as the result of passage of the Farm Bill in May of 2008.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is designed to provide fresh fruit and vegetables during the school day, free of charge, to all enrolled school children in participating schools. The program is for children in elementary schools that have a high percentage of children who qualify for free and reduced priced meals. Schools receive fifty to seventy-five dollars per enrolled child. The funding is to be used to buy, prepare and serve fresh fruits and vegetables each school day. The food items must be fresh, not canned, frozen or mixed with other foods. They must also be served as a snack, during the school day, rather than as part of the regular meal service. With the exception of bananas, all items must be domestic.

“We hope that through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, children’s consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables increases, children will show increased attention spans, there will be fewer discipline problems and we’ll see a decreased consumption of high calorie snacks,” said State Education Department program coordinator Frances O’Donnell.

The Farm Bill provides additional funding to states over the next few years to allow additional schools to apply. Applications will be available in the Spring for schools to apply for grants for the 2009-2010 school year.

Schools selected to participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for the 2008-09 school year:

School District	School Name	Grant Award Amount
Akron Central School District	Akron Elementary	$51,750.00
Albany Community Charter	Albany Community Charter	$12,000.00
Al-Madinah	Al-Madinah	$44,175.00
Andalusia	Andalusia	$18,711.72
Ausable Valley Central School District	Keesville Elementary	$27,225.00
Buffalo City School District	PS 37 Futures Academy	$47,325.00
Buffalo City School District	PS 54 Dr. George Blackman	$41,100.00
Buffalo City School District	PS 78 at Montessori	$16,912.00
Buffalo City School District	PS 68 Westminster	$26,650.00
Buffalo City School District	Montessori School	$25,300.00
Buffalo City School District	Stanley Makowski	$42,738.00
Buffalo City School District	Waterfront School	$43,500.00
Charter School for Applied Technologies	Charter School for Applied Technologies	$68,550.00
Clymer Central School	Clymer Central School	$33,975.00
Corning City School District	Calvin U Smith	$15,150.00
Corning City School District	Winfield Street Elementary	$17,400.00
Johnson City School District	Johnson City Elem/Intermediate	$43,575.00
Moriah Central School District	Moriah Central School District	$59,250.00
Newburgh City School District	Gardnertown Fundamental Magnet	$40,762.26
Newburgh City School District	Horizon-On-The-Hudson	$26,939.56
Newburgh City School District	Meadow Hill Global Explorations	$56,526.02
Newburgh City School District	New Windsor School	$37,115.42
Newburgh City School District	Temple Hill School	$59,467.02
North-Rose Wolcott Central School	North-Rose Elementary	$24,750.00
New York City	PS 8	$69,722.85
New York City	PS 69	$34,073.25
New York City	PS 96	$40,984.90
New York City	PS 133	$20,492.45
New York City	PS 145	$58,870.33
New York City	PS 211	$39,772.34
New York City	PS 216	$25,888.40
New York City	PS 250	$52,807.48
Pine Plains Central School District	Seymour Smith Elementary	$23,775.00
Riverhead Central School District	Aquebogue Elementary	$34,275.00
Riverhead Central School District	Phillips Avenue	$32,475.00
Riverhead Central School District	Pulaski Street Elementary	$40,200.00
Riverhead Central School District	Roanoke Avenue	$23,625.00
Sackets Harbor Central School	Sackets Harbor Central School	$36,900.00
Schenectady Central School District	Jesse T Zoller	$38,250.00
Schenectady Central School District	Hamilton Elementary	$21,150.00
Schenectady Central School District	Martin Luther King	$19,450.00
Schenectady Central School District	Pleasant Valley	$23,750.00
Schenectady Central School District	Van Corlaer	$22,950.00
Scio Central School	Scio Central School	$ 36,075.00
St. Cabrini Home	West Park School	$ 4,800.00
St. Catherine's Center for Children	St. Catherine's Center for Children	$ 5,175.00
Syracuse City School District	Lemoyne Elementary	$31,425.00
Tioga Central School District	Tioga Elementary	$23,625.00
Union-Endicott Central School District	Charles F Johnson Jr. Elementary	$27,675.00
Van Hornesville-Owen D Young Central School District	Owen D Young Central	$15,975.00
Wellsville Central School District	Wellsville Elementary	$45,375.00