Elementary students rewarded with edible bouquets through state's fresh fruit program

Lillian Lawson, Gainesville Sun
Updated ·2 min read

Alachua County elementary schools will be rewarded for their participation in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provided by the district’s Food & Nutrition Services Department throughout the month.

The distribution program, which began Oct. 2 and runs through Oct. 27, will gift classrooms at elementary schools participating in the program with a fresh fruit bouquet from Edible Arrangements purchased by the district’s Food & Nutrition Department. The fresh fruit will be shared amongst students in the classes.

“The Food & Nutrition Department is thrilled to be able to offer this delicious, tasty & healthy treat to the students that participate in the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program,” said Jamie Lovett, services director of food in a news release. “We know this special treat is going to be a nice surprise and enjoyed by all.”

Alachua County Public Schools' School Administration Building
Alachua County Public Schools' School Administration Building

FFVP is only available to elementary schools and provides students enrolled in 19 local schools with fresh fruit and vegetable snacks three days a week in their classrooms. About 8,300 students across 460 classrooms are a part of the program.

The program’s goal is to provide students with food they may not have tried, or had access to, before and encourage them to try different healthy foods.

Educational information about the snacks such as nutrition information, geography, history and fun facts, is also presented to engage students in the initiative.

Elementary schools that will receive the fruit baskets include Alachua, Archer, Boulware, Caring and Sharing, C.B. Parker, Foster, Glen Springs, Idylwild, Irby, Lake Forest, Littlewood, Metcalfe, Newberry Elementary, Norton, One Room, Rawlings, Shell, Terwilliger and Williams. Some schools have already received their fruit arrangements.

Metcalfe Elementary School students have school lunch Wednesday, December 12, 2012. Metcalfe and Rawlings Elementary schools have been recognized as winners of the Gold Award of Distinction. The Healthier US School Challenge, is a federal program that rewards the creation of a healthier school environment by improving food and beverage offerings, teaching students about nutritious food choices, being physically active, providing opportunities for physical activity, and having supportive school wellness policies.

The program is grant-funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill. The state awards funding to the highest-need elementary schools based on their free and reduced meals percentages. Alachua County applies for funding each year, said Caron Rowe, a supervisor at Alachua County Food and Nutrition Services.

Funding for participating schools is currently based on 2022-2023 school year enrollment numbers and consists of $25 per student through Oct. 1, 2023, and $50 per student through the end of May 2023.

A menu of the foods offered can be found at https://sbac.nutrislice.com/menus-eula.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Fresh Fruit Program awards Alachua County elementary schools snacks