The district will use a federal grant to prepare more meals from scratch to encourage healthy eating and as part of the nutrition program, according to School Nutrition Director Jeanne LaPointe, who spoke to the Regional School Unit 10 board of directors on Monday.

Federal grant given to school districts for nutrition program (Photo: Grocott’s Mail- Rhodes University)

Nutrition program for district schools

It was described by her as “a deep priority here at RSU 10.” The United States provided the $117,000 Healthy Meals Incentives grant Agency for Agriculture.

The final $50,000 comprises equipment for the nutrition program at Hartford-Sumner Elementary School and the kitchen at Buckfield Junior-Senior High School, according to LaPointe.

The nutrition program will include a tilting skillet, which is similar to a large frying pan and can be used to cook pasta or make French toast, a new convection oven steamer, a very effective piece of equipment, and another combination steamer and a microwave steamer that will be housed at (the Sumner school) to prepare small batches of food.

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Work programs and nutrition programs

The district also collaborates with AmeriCorps, a separate U.S. government organization that involves over 5 million Americans in service through a range of volunteer work programs apart from nutrition programs with stipends in a variety of fields.

According to its website, it is also working with FoodCorps, an American nonprofit organization whose goal is to collaborate with local communities to provide access to nutritious food for kids in schools. John Glaus, a chef with FoodCorps for nutrition program, was present at the meeting on Monday at Buckfield High School.

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