Sacred Heart School awarded food grant

     Sacred Heart School was awarded a $4,000 grant in an effort to provide "access to local food in K-12 schools and improve supply chain resiliency through partnerships with local (food) producers…"

   The Iowa Department of Agriculture dispersed the grant funding through the Iowa Local Food for Schools Program (LFS). Schools that participate in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Program were eligible to apply for the $4,000. The grant is broken down into $2,000 for produce and $2,000 for protein.

   Sacred Heart School Principal Susan Hucker applied for the grant. The school's head cook, Amber Rance, has been working on researching what food items the school could receive.

   Rance said the food supply and options will depend on the time of the year. Fresh fruit and vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes, yogurt, and cottage cheese are all options the school could use.

   The food stems from Iowa farms, providing healthier lunch options for the students.

   The grant money has to be spent within the 2022-23 school year.