The U.S. Apple Association (USApple) today awarded a $5,000 grant to Bronx, N.Y. school P811X, The Academy for Career and Living Skills, as part of its 2018 ‘Apples4Ed’ program. The grant will allow the school to create a “Be Healthy, Snack Smart” program to teach students about the nutritional value of snack items. It will also provide funding for the school to have a mobile health cart comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Out of more than 275 applications for Apples4Ed grant funding, The Academy for Career and Living Skills really stood out because of its holistic approach of linking healthy foods to healthy minds for its students,” said USApple President and CEO Jim Bair, who presented the award to school administrators. “The school firmly believes that teaching nutrition to students throughout their educational experience is a key component to developing lasting healthy eating habits.”
Jim Bair from US Apple with Paula Lucas (L) and Sandy Helms (R)
The Academy for Career and Living Skills, a special education high school with more than 600 students facing a wide range of physical, emotional and cognitive challenges, has diligently worked for years to develop health and wellness programs for its students. Located in the South Bronx, an underserved community, P811X students also face the challenge of having access to healthy snack choices.
“As a special education high school, our mission is to help students understand the importance of consuming more healthy foods and beverages during the school day while raising awareness of healthy eating patterns,” said P811X Secretary Paula Lucas. “Our initiatives will help students understand the importance of caloric intake, where calories come from and the association between intake of sugar on emotions and mood, while providing them with healthy snacks.” Lucas and P811X’s farm stand manager, Sandy Helms, wrote and submitted the school’s application for Apples4Ed grant funding.
To help P811X kick-start its healthy snacking initiative, USApple Vice Chairwoman Kaari Stannard, owner and president of New York Apple Sales, provided apples for the student body.
Three grants were awarded under the 2018 Apples4Ed program, including a $10,000 grant to Biloxi, Miss. elementary school St. Martin North, a $5,000 grant to P811X and another $5,000 award to a school that will be publicly recognized later this month. Applications for 2019 Apples4Ed funding will open in August.
For more information:
Tracy Grondine
U.S. Apple Association
Tel: +1 (202) 316-6377