Durbin, Emanuel Announces $100,000 Federal Grant to Increase Availability of Locally Grown Produce in Chicago Public Schools
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel today announced that the Department of Agriculture has awarded $100,000 in funding to Chicago Public Schools District 299 to help make more locally grown produce available in their school cafeterias. This “Farm to School” grant will be used to fund a school garden program to teach students about agriculture and nutrition and to provide schools with fresh produce for healthy lunches. The funding will also be used to establish permanent and sustainable relationship between schools and local farmers and producers.
“Supporting relationships between schools and local producers isn’t just good for our students, it’s also good for our farmers. This funding award reflects the growing demand for locally grown produce, and will help bolster Chicago Public Schools’ ongoing efforts to increase the availability of nutritious food in their cafeterias,” said Durbin. “We need to continue investing in programs like this one that give kids the tools they need to make healthy choices.”
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students to have a dynamic, hands-on learning experience right in their schools as well as have ready access to fresh foods,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “We are making strides in Chicago to increase access to fresh, healthy food in our communities as well as set standards for healthy meals and snacks for our students within our schools, and this public-private partnership helps to sustain and build on these efforts.”