Western Pa. schools receive grants to improve cafeterias

Eight local school districts are among those awarded more than $875,000 in grant money to help upgrade food service equipment in their cafeterias.

In all, 59 elementary, middle and high schools will benefit from the funds, awarded to schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted meal program that provides low-cost or free lunches to qualifying students, officials with the state Department of Education announced this week.

“Research has shown that when students have access to nutritious meals, their focus, energy and overall performance in school increases,” acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega said in a news release. “The grants awarded by the department will provide schools with equipment and other resources needed to enhance and improve their ability to provide students with the essential meals they need to learn and grow.”

Locally, five schools in Allegheny County and three in Westmoreland received grant money from the project, which can be used to purchase equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves and dishwashers.

In Allegheny County, Woodland Hills received two grants, one for $38,000 to be used at Turtle Creek elementary for a new oven and the other for almost $4,700 to purchase a freezer for Edgewood elementary. Plum received $21,000 for the high school, which will be used to purchase a gas steam kettle.

Pittsburgh Public Schools received $8,500 to purchase a convection oven for Lincoln elementary, Manchester Academic Charter School received $8,000 for a range and Elizabeth Forward received almost $20,000 to purchase an oven for the middle school.

Of schools in Westmoreland County, Yough received two $7,200 grants to be used at the high school and H.W. Good elementary, Penn-Trafford received two grants around $4,000 for use at Harrison Park and Level Green elementary schools and New Kensington-Arnold received $16,500 for Martin elementary.

Yough will use the funds to purchase two convection ovens, Penn-Trafford will buy two heated holding cabinets and New Kensington-Arnold will purchase serving line components.

Regionally, Uniontown Area and the Laurel Highlands School District also received grant money, as well as two districts in Somerset County and three in Clarion County. A full list of schools across the state that can be found on the state Education Department’s website, education.pa.gov.

Funding for the grants was made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.