Mayor Dominick Pangallo is pleased to announce that Salem Public Schools has been awarded funding through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) new competitive grant program, aimed at supporting food literacy and local food purchasing in schools.
This funding is part of the Massachusetts Farming Reinforces Education and Student Health through Coordination and Optimization of Resources and Partnerships (MA FRESH CORP initiative)—and will provide Salem with $133,000 over 18 months to expand and formalize food system education for pre-K through eighth grade students.
Food literacy instruction will include classroom education on nutrition, where our food comes from, and hands-on learning in school gardens. Funds will be used to hire Farm to School consultants who will work with Salem educators and administrators to develop a standards-based curriculum accessible to all Pre-K, elementary, and middle school teachers. Food literacy will also be included in ongoing professional development for staff.
Salem’s Food and Nutrition Services team, led by Program Director Michaela Short, has already built a strong foundation with its farm-to-school program in the cafeterias. Students regularly participate in Harvest of the Month tastings and meet local farmers and fishers who supply ingredients for school meals, fostering curiosity, enthusiasm, and a stronger connection to healthy, locally grown foods.
This new grant will take that work even further—bringing food literacy directly into classrooms and ensuring every pre-K through eighth grade student has equitable access to gardens, hands-on learning, and food education during the school day.
“We are thrilled and grateful to receive such a generous grant from DESE,” said Salem Public Schools Superintendent Steve Zrike, “It is important that our students understand the value of supporting our local farms and growers. They will benefit greatly from this educational program, which will expand their knowledge of food literacy and strengthen local food systems in our schools.”
“The positive impact of nutrition and school garden education on students’ physical and mental health is well-documented, and we are proud that Salem Public Schools is recognized as a leader in the Farm to School initiative,” added Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo, who chairs the Salem School Committee, “This generous DESE award will help connect the important work our Food & Nutrition Services team has done in cafeterias to the classroom and school gardens.”
Salem Public Schools looks forward to launching this next phase of its farm-to-school efforts in the 2025–26 school year, with planning and curriculum development beginning immediately.
For more information on the Massachusetts FRESH CORP initiative, visit https://www.massfarmtoschool.org/mafresh-grant/.
