NEWS RELEASE

Release Date: February 4, 2010

Contact: Pete Smith, Director of Communications 601.359.1336

More funding received to purchase child nutrition equipment

Jackson, Miss. - The Mississippi Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools (OHS) has received more than $400,000 in federal funds to continue the fight against child hood obesity through the implementation of the MS Healthy Students Act. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USDA) provided these funds that will be used by local school districts to purchase equipment that ensures healthier meals for Mississippi’s boys and girls.

These funds will provide an additional 22 combination oven steamers for 11 schools. The OHS will award grants from a pool of applicants that did not receive funding during the first round.

"Studies show that a healthy child is a child more engaged in learning. Opportunities that improve the nutritional quality of meals in our schools will allow our students to stay successful in their academic efforts," State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tom Burnham said.

In 2006, The Bower Foundation and OHS launched the “Nutrition Integrity Project,” a pilot program to replace unhealthy deep fryers with the oven steamers, which substantially reduce the number of calories and fat consumed by students. During the first two years, OHS selected 34 schools in 27 districts to install 54 combination oven steamers. To date, more than 60,000 public school children are benefitting from the grants to purchase combination oven steamers in 94 school sites.

"These funds will continue the fight against childhood obesity in Mississippi,” Director of the Office of Healthy Schools Shane McNeill said. “This equipment improves the nutritional quality of school meals served to students and staff in our schools and improves the work environment for the dedicated staff preparing the food," McNeill said.

For more information on this program visit the OHS Web site at www.healthyschoolsms.org.