Grants range from $200-$3,000 for individual projects; deadline is Dec. 30...There are now 2,700 citizen chefs signed on to be part of First Lady Michelle Obama's Chefs Move to Schools initiative, working in 2,500 schools across the US, according to Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass. If you are one of those chefs, The Culinary Trust foundation is offering grants to help defray expenses, and is seeking applicants. (Above: Mrs. Obama serves broccoli to Head Start kids at a family-style lunch during one of her many school visits)
The grants range from $200 to $3,000, and can be used from garden to table:
"Culinary professionals may seek funding for any program that promotes health and wellness in schools. For example, the grant may be used to plant a garden, teach a class, promote or create a wellness program for students or parents or assist in creating a school curriculum that focuses on healthy eating." Chefs working with school cafeteria professionals can also apply.
Grant applicants must have the support of the school principal and, in some cases, additional school personnel, The Culinary Trust notes. The deadline is Dec. 30. Download an application here. The California Table Grape Commission is the founding sponsor of the grants.
To learn more about Chefs Move to Schools, and to sign up as a chef or school, visit USDA's webpage here.
*Photo of the First Lady visiting New Hampshire Estates Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama