Adagio Health Receives USDA Farm to School Grant to Connect Early Childhood Programs with Pennsylvania Farmers
Adagio Health was selected as a Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grantee by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This $467,337 grant will be used to strengthen connections between local farmers and early childhood education programs in Western Pennsylvania.
The project, running now through 2028, will build on Adagio Health’s existing SNAP-Education work in the Farm to Early Childhood Education (Farm to ECE) space, partnering with Head Start programs in Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana counties to increase access to locally grown foods for children and families participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
“This grant allows us to build on the strong foundation established through Adagio Health’s years of SNAP-Ed programming and the meaningful partnerships we developed with early childhood educators, local farmers, and communities across Pennsylvania,” said Britney Zwergel, Vice President of Nutrition and Education Programs at Adagio Health. “Through that work, we saw the value of connecting nutrition education with hands-on experiences that help children understand where their food comes from and develop healthy habits early in life.”
“We’re excited to carry that work forward by strengthening these partnerships, expanding access to Pennsylvania-grown foods, and creating lasting connections between local agriculture, early childhood education, and the health of the families we serve,” Zwergel said.
The initiative will bring PA-grown foods into early childhood classrooms through an adapted farm-to-ECE nutrition and agricultural education curriculum. Children will have opportunities to explore where their food comes from, build excitement around local foods, and develop healthy eating habits.
This might look like:
- Local food purchasing: Support Head Start programs in purchasing locally grown produce for meals served to children.
- Classroom education: Adapt and integrate nutrition and agricultural education curriculum featuring PA-grown foods.
- Farm field trips: Give children opportunities to visit local farms and learn about food production firsthand.
- Family engagement: Host “Meet the Farmer” sessions and family events, including cooking classes that feature local foods.
- Technical assistance: Provide guidance and support to Head Start programs and teachers as they implement Farm to ECE activities.
“This year’s grants are a win-win for schools and children, for farmers and real food,” said Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Patrick A. Penn. “Our Nation’s farmers, ranchers and producers grow the safest, most abundant and affordable food in the world, and now more children will get to experience the benefits of that bounty. USDA is fully committed to supporting healthy choices, healthy families, and healthy outcomes through farm to school, and I can’t wait to see the life-changing impact these new projects will have on communities across America.”
Since fiscal year 2013, USDA has awarded more than $119 million in Farm to School Grants, funding more than 1,265 projects throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program on the program’s website.
Adagio Health’s WIC offices in Armstrong, Butler, and Indiana:
Adagio Health WIC, Armstrong
201 Market Street
Kittanning, PA 16201
Adagio Health WIC, Butler
323 Sunset Drive, Suite 1
Butler, PA 16001
Adagio Health WIC, Indiana
1099 Oak Street
Indiana, PA 15701
Find more Adagio Health locations at https://adagiohealth.org/locations/