HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) announced Tuesday that more than $875,000 in competitive grants has been awarded to 59 elementary, middle, and high schools across the state for the purchase of new food service equipment for cafeterias.

“Research has shown that when students have access to nutritious meals, their focus, energy, and overall performance in school increases,” said Acting Secretary of Education Noe Ortega. “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.”

Funding for the grants is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grants are awarded to schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Schools use the grants to purchase or upgrade equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves, and dishwashers.

During his tenure, Governor Wolf has made combating hunger a priority. Since the establishment of the Governor’s Food Security Partnership in 2015, the Wolf Administration has worked to make it easier for individuals to access benefits, improve access to WIC and the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, increase knowledge of summer feeding programs, promote access to breakfast in schools, grow public-private partnerships through the creation of local food alliances, increase access to healthy food, improve access to employment and training services, grow food security programs within the Medicaid system, and more.

More information about the Wolf Administration’s food security efforts amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and links to resources and assistance are available on the Department of Agriculture’s website.

Full list of schools receiving food service equipment grants:

For more information about Pennsylvania’s education policies and programs, please visit the Department of Education’s website.