Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today announced that it has awarded more than $332,000 in grant funding to 12 local education agencies (LEA) across the Commonwealth to purchase new food service equipment for their cafeterias.
“Food Service Equipment grants enable schools to have high-functioning equipment and well-equipped cafeterias so they can better serve students in meeting their health and nutritional needs,” said Acting Secretary Dr. Carrie Rowe.“Students can’t learn when they’re hungry, and these grants help schools to make sure their cafeterias are serving students to the best of their abilities, fueling both students’ minds and bodies.”
The schools receiving Food Service Equipment grants are:
Beaver County:
- Aliquippa School District, Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School - $22,252 to purchase an electric tilt skillet
Bradford County:
- Northeast Bradford School District, Northeast Bradford Elementary School - $13,864 to purchase a 36” HD range
- Northeast Bradford School District, Northeast Bradford Junior/Senior High School - $10,956 to purchase an electric convection oven
Fulton County:
- Southern Fulton School District, Southern Fulton Elementary School - $41,132 to purchase a dishwasher conveyor
Luzerne County:
- Cheder Menachem, Inc., Cheder Menachem of Wilkes Barre - $26,303 to purchase a tilting skillet
Mercer County:
- George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania - $40,906 to purchase a dishwasher
Philadelphia County:
- Philadelphia City School District, Kennedy C Crossan School - $14,060 to purchase a walk-in cooler
- Philadelphia City School District, William H Loesche Elementary School - $16,170 to purchase a walk-in freezer
Schuylkill County:
- Schuylkill IU 29, Center for Exceptional Children - $8,088 to purchase a pass-through heated cabinet
- Schuylkill Technology Centers, Schuylkill County AVTS South - $62,484 to purchase a walk-in cooler/freezer
Washington County:
- Avella Area School District, Avella Area Junior/Senior High School - $42,887 to purchase a combination oven
Westmoreland County:
- Belle Vernon Area School District, Belle Vernon Area Middle School - $33,803 to purchase a dual pressure steamer
Funding for the grants is made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Grants are awarded to schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program. Schools use the grants to purchase or upgrade equipment such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves, and dishwashers.
Healthy meals are an essential component to learning and growing. Every day, more than one million children and students receive nutritious meals through Federal School Nutrition Programs, which include the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.
The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring that all children and students have access to healthy meals so they can start the day ready to learn. That’s why Governor Josh Shapiro delivered free breakfast for Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million students over the past two years. Last school year, more than 90 million breakfast meals were served in schools – that’s nearly 10 million more meals than were served the previous school year. The 2025-26 proposed budget builds on that progress to continue the universal free breakfast program, making sure students have access to healthy meals to start their day on the right foot.