FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 17, 2022
Superintendent Elsie Arntzen Receives Team Nutrition Grant from US Department of Agriculture
HELENA – Today Superintendent Elsie Arntzen received a $925,585 Team Nutrition Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. The Office of Public Instruction (OPI) is one of eight state agencies that received this grant for administering the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The NSLP provides free and reduced-price meals to Montana students based on their family’s income level.
“This is workforce redesign in our school lunchrooms and kitchens,” said Superintendent Elsie Arntzen. “Our lunch and kitchen aids will receive professional development to ensure quality and care while preparing and serving great Montana-made products. This grant strengthens our partnership with MSU Team Nutrition.”
“Nutritious school meals help America’s children learn, grow, and stay healthy,” said FNS Mountain Plains Regional Administrator Cheryl Kennedy. “School nutrition professionals in Montana have made incredible strides in strengthening the school meals programs in recent years and USDA is committed to supporting them in this effort.”
The Team Nutrition Grant will help build and support school nutrition staff for the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years. The OPI will partner with Montana State University Montana Team Nutrition to implement the Montana School Meals Certificate, which will provide training for school nutrition specialists focusing on our Native American and rural schools. These trainings will improve and expand meal service delivery methods and enhance the quality of school meals. Sub-grants of $7,500 will flow to 50 Montana schools to purchase:
- equipment to prepare food
- equipment to ensure safe food storage
- supplies for student taste-testing events
- school meal serving items
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Questions? Contact:
Brian.O'Leary, Communications Director
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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