WA Awards Food Grants to Mid Columbia, E WA Schools

The WSDA, or WA State Department of Agriculture, has awarded grant money to schools for new food programs.

  Farm to School Grants going to 24 Districts

$350,000 has been awarded to the Districts to create what is called the Farm to School food program. According to the WSDA:

"School districts, childcare providers, a tribal school and native-led early learning center will use the grants to serve high quality, nutritious and culturally relevant foods grown, raised, caught or foraged by producers in Washington state. WSDA's Farm to School Purchasing Grants are possible thanks to the Washington State Legislature’s ongoing investment in farm to school."

• 37 applications were received in all, some of the Districts in Eastern WA that received funding included: 
• Almira (Grant County) $12,000
• Catholic Charities Serving Central WA (Yakima) $7,500
• Colfax School District (Whitman County) $12,000
• Prosser School District $19,500
• Toppenish School District $11,500
• Touchet School District (Whitman County) $7,000

Although no specific criteria was given by the WSDA or state concerning the economic conditions in these school communities, it's interesting to note that Bellevue School District received one of the largest grants, for $96,000.