Tuscaloosa-Based Schoolyard Roots Program Nets $50K USDA Grant

TUSCALOOSA, AL — A Tuscaloosa-based garden and nutrition education non-profit on Wednesday announced it has received $50,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Patrick Leahy Farm to School grant program.

Click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

Schoolyard Roots Executive Director Nicole Gelb Dugat said the grant will enrich its curriculum by adding lessons that incorporate Social Emotional Learning and cultural connection in the garden.

"This funding will enable us to further enrich our curriculum and foster an even more inclusive and supportive environment for our students," Dugat said. "We know that students gain so much when they engage in hands-on, garden-based learning and we are thrilled that the USDA will be supporting our mission. Thanks to this grant, Schoolyard Roots will continue to inspire and grow the next generation of holistically healthy, informed, and engaged citizens."

Dugat explained that Schoolyard Roots serves over 4,300 students in twelve Tuscaloosa city and county elementary schools, with its Garden 2 Schools program providing outdoor learning in gardens at each school.

Lessons are taught by Schoolyard Roots educators and occur during the school day to ensure that every student at the school benefits from the program.

As part of the program, Dugat said students learn to raise and harvest their vegetables, engage in cooking lessons, run their own farm's stands, and share their new knowledge with their families.

The program was launched in 2010 as the Druid City Garden Project and its leaders report it has helped tens of thousands of local students try new fruits and vegetables, with the overall mission of leading healthier, more academically capable lives.

Schoolyard Roots said The USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant awarded a record-breaking
$14.3 million to 154 projects in 43 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you're interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com.