FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2015
Kim Gaffi
Director of Youth Programs & Pollination
kim@goodgrub.org
360-753-5522
GRuB Receives USDA Grant to Increase Local Foods in School Cafeterias
GRuB receives a $99,770 grant, in partnership with Tumwater and Eatonville School Districts, to support
the creation of new Farm-to-school youth programs.
Tumwater, WA 2015 – GRuB is pleased to announce they are one of 74 projects spanning 39 states receiving
support this year through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm to School Program, an effort to
better connect school cafeterias and students with the local food system.
“Farm to school programs work—for schools, for producers, and for communities,” said Secretary Vilsack. “By
serving nutritious and locally grown foods, engaging students in hands-on lessons, and involving parents and
community members, these programs provide children with a holistic experience that sets them up for a lifetime
of healthy eating.”
“We are thrilled to be embarking on this project with GRuB this year in order to serve and engage more youth in
the Tumwater community. Increasing the opportunity for meaningful, relevant learning experiences is the vision
of GRuB. As a partner with GRuB, we hope to build on the success of existing programs in Thurston County. We
are excited to collaborate with GRuB and the City of Tumwater to leverage additional community support and
launch a new farm site in the spring of 2016”. - John Bash, Superintendent Tumwater School District
GRuB will use the funds to support the Tumwater School District (Thurston County) with the creation of a farmbased drop-out prevention program where students grow food for the cafeteria, much like the Freedom
Farmers program at Olympia High, which GRuB helped create 3 year ago. The City of Tumwater is providing park
land that was formerly used as a farm for project development and student cultivation. The grant will also assist
the Eatonville School District (Pierce County) in planning farm-to-school programs on their newly acquired
historic farm in the Ohop Valley.
"Eatonville School District is honored and excited to be awarded the opportunity to vision and work alongside
GRuB to establish a green, sustainable STEM program on our planned farm site for K-12 education. Establishing a
place based best practices site for rural education that builds on GRuB's reputation for an exceptional Farm to
School program is a tremendous asset to our community. This is the future of exceptional educational programs."
– Krestin Bahr, Superintendent Eatonville School District
These projects increase local food, help district nutrition staff work with fresh produce, give students an
education in growing and processing vegetables, and allow students to take leadership in their local food
system. GRuB will also be hosting professional development workshops and institutes to support the emergence
of and increase the success of similar projects throughout the state. Find out more about GRuB at
www.goodgrub.org.
Farm to school programs are one of the many tools and resources USDA offers to help schools successfully serve
healthier meals. In the past three years since the bipartisan passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of
2010, kids have eaten healthier breakfasts, lunches and snacks at school. Over 97 percent of schools report that
they are successfully meeting the updated nutrition standards. For more information, visit www.fns.usda.gov.
For more information and questions please contact: Kim Gaffi (GRuB) - 360-753-5522