Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service awarded $4.59 million to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (CFDA 10.582) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This Project Grant provides cash funding to procure and distribute free fresh fruits and vegetables to elementary schools with high percentages of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals through the National School Lunch Program.

Under this award, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education selects eligible elementary schools based on poverty-level criteria and distributes fresh produce to participating institutions at no cost to students. The program objectives include introducing children to fresh produce varieties, increasing consumption of unprocessed fruits and vegetables, and promoting nutrition education in economically disadvantaged school communities. Participating schools must be currently enrolled in the National School Lunch Program and agree to serve the fresh produce free to all enrolled children while publicizing availability within the school environment. The state agency typically sub-awards portions of the grant funding to local school districts and educational partners for direct implementation and program operation.