In response to the current coronavirus pandemic, Dairy MAX, in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys and Fuel Up to Play 60, will contribute $150,000 to the COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund to help schools with the purchase of resources needed to provide continued school meal programs. Each school can receive up to $3,000 in grant funds, and the application can be accessed at https://covid-19.genyouthnow.org/.
School closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic are taking a serious toll on more than 55 million students nationwide and 7 million students locally, many of whom depend on school meals for their daily nutrition. While 124,000 public and private schools are closed nationwide, school districts recognize the importance of maintaining continuity of school meal programs and are providing meals through grab and go, drive through pick up, bus stop delivery and summer meal sites. The COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund has been put in place to help schools purchase the necessary resources for food storage, single-serve packaging, distribution, delivery and sanitation/safety protective gear as they adapt to new means of delivering healthy meals to our nation’s children. A comprehensive list of Texas schools providing meals can be found at https://tea.texas.gov/.
"We are fortunate to have great partners like the Dallas Cowboys, Dairy MAX and GENYOUth," Arlington ISD superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos said. "Since the start of the school closures over two weeks ago, one of our major priorities has been making sure the students in our district have enough food to eat. We started providing meals the first Monday our schools were closed, and we see around 13,000 children every day. These grants further help schools meet that need in providing nutritious options for all of our students."
Local dairy farmers—in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys—have been supporting childhood nutrition initiatives for years. “My fellow dairy farmers and I have been committed to feeding kids in schools for decades, and we are committed now more than ever to make sure kids continue to get the nutrition they need,” said Neil Hoff, dairy farmer and Dairy MAX board member.
The COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund will be executed as part of the Fuel Up To Play 60 program, the nation’s largest in-school program promoting student health and wellness. The program is supported locally by Dairy MAX and the Dallas Cowboys and will offer each school up to $3,000 in grant funds, administered by GENYOUth.
Retired Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Travis Frederick has been a longtime supporter and player representative for FUTP 60. “Fighting childhood hunger is core to my Blocking Out Hunger Foundation. Working with FUTP 60 over the past several years, I have been able to help raise awareness for the importance of school meals for so many kids who depend on them. We want to ensure that schools are able to continue feeding kids, even though everything about how they do that has changed, and these grants will help schools make sure their students are fed.”
Applications will be reviewed and approved on a rolling basis, and schools can access the application at https://covid-19.genyouthnow.org/. Schools are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Below are FAQs to help address any additional questions:
How will GENYOUth determine which schools get the grants?
ENYOUth will score applications using a rubric that gives points for 1) number of students served, 2) percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch, 3) number of meals per day served and 4) a description of how funds will be used.
- Who is eligible to receive the grant funds?
- The COVID-19 Emergency School Nutrition Fund is available to schools across the country.
- What can schools purchase with State and Region funds from the COVID-19 School Nutrition Fund?
- Equipment for cold storage of milk or other perishable items (e.g., coolers, insulated bags, refrigerators or freezers, etc.)
- Equipment for transporting or serving food or milk (e.g., breakfast cart/ kiosk, travel carts to move food, serving tables, cardboard boxes, paper/plastic bags, etc.)
- Sanitation equipment (cleaning supplies, hand sanitizing dispensers, rubber gloves, etc.)
- Cafeteria equipment for preparation of food (e.g., food prep equipment, slicers, etc.)
- Stipends for Staff
- How long will the application process last?
Applications will be approved on a rolling basis. - How will GENYOUth determine which schools get the grants?
GENYOUth will score applications using a rubric that gives points for 1) number of students served, 2) percentage of students eligible for free and reduced lunch, 3) number of meals per day served and 4) a description of how funds will be used.
