White Co. School System Recipient Of $140K For School Nutrition

White County School System’s Nutrition Program the recipient of a $140,000 grant for equipment upgrades.

Communications Director Candice Allen said the opportunity came about after a teacher did a previous grant with the program Action for Healthy Kids. Allen said the teacher had done so well with the first grant, the program reached out again to suggest another grant that would be suitable for White County Schools.

“Things like ovens can certainly get expensive, but $140,000 we’re looking at being able to do a couple of ovens, and maybe even some storage racks and steamers and coolers,” Allen said. “Stuff like that.”

Allen said Supervisor of Nutrition Tonya Savage is working on a priority list for needs through the system. Allen said once that list is finalized they will take the next steps toward purchasing the equipment.

Allen said this grant is a reimbursement program. She said that means the school system will have to buy the equipment themselves and get paid back.

“We’re just really excited and thankful for the opportunity and for our teacher, Jerrica Demps,” Allen said. “You know while she was studying for her master’s program, they required her to apply for a grant. She did that a few years ago and we were awarded by the same company (…) So it kind of goes to show you in our district we all work together. We’re all one big team working toward one goal.”

Demps is a CTE instructor at White County High School.