READING – State Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, has announced that Saint Margaret School has been awarded a nearly $15,000 grant to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to students during the school day.
Saint Margaret School, located in Caltagirone’s legislative district, was one of 200 Pennsylvania elementary schools to receive the grant. To qualify, a school must have a free and reduced meal eligibility of 50 percent or more, and must spend a majority of the grant on purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables. Schools are also then required to offer nutrition education to students.
“Proper nutrition is essential to ensuring our students are performing at their highest potential,” said Caltagirone. “By providing students with a solid foundation, we are setting them on a path to success. I look forward to working with school officials to guarantee our students benefit greatly.”
Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and was first introduced in Pennsylvania in 2004. The program’s mission is to provide healthier food choices in school lunches, to expand school variety of fruits and vegetables and to impact a student’s overall health.
