Apples4Ed aids school healthy eating

The U.S. Apple Association is launching the 2023-24 version of the Apples4Ed grant program that promotes healthy eating in schools.

The USApple charitable initiative supports healthy eating projects in public schools across the country. Five $5,000 grants will be given to schools that are bringing awareness to nutrition and exposing students to a wider variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

This year, Apples4Ed is focused on teaching children the basics of healthy eating and pairing that knowledge with fun outcomes. USApple’s social media will highlight some of the fun benefits of kids choosing nutritious foods, including having more energy to play basketball or better focus to enjoy a good book.

“Teaching students how to make healthy food choices benefits them long after the school year ends,” Lynsee Gibbons, USApple’s director of communications, said in a news release. “Exposing them to fresh produce in a fun and enjoyable way makes them more apt to develop healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. We’re honored to invest in the health and well-being of our future generation with Apples4Ed.”

From healthy snack “fuel stations” and cooking lessons to 5K races and rooftop gardens, Apples4Ed has supported a diverse array of programs in schools across the country. Learn about past winners here.

Public schools with students enrolled in any grade from kindergarten through 12th are eligible to apply. Applications are due Jan. 25. Winners will be selected and announced in March.

Applications are evaluated by a panel of judges that takes into consideration the programs’ level of creativity, longevity, student impact, logistics and community involvement.

Apples4Ed is also releasing new resources for teachers, including posters for classrooms and coloring workbooks for students.

To learn more or to submit your school, visit Apples4Ed.com.

The Falls Church, Virginia, based USApple is a national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 36 state and regional apple associations, representing 26,000 apple growers and more than 3,700 apple-related companies. USApple’s members collectively grow more than 10 billion pounds of apples a year on average, supporting 150,000 jobs and generating more than $8 billion in total wages and almost $23 billion in economic activity.