17 HCSD Schools Awarded Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Federal Grant

(September 15, 2025) – We are pleased to announce that students at 17 elementary and middle schools in the Harrison County School District will enjoy additional fresh fruit and vegetable snacks – for free. Competitive grant applications for the USDA’s Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program were submitted for all eligible HCSD schools, and the following schools were approved to receive the nearly $800,000 grant award for the 2025-26 school year:
 
• Bel-Aire Elementary
• Creekbend Elementary & Middle
• Crossroads Elementary
• D’Iberville Elementary
• D’Iberville Middle
• Harrison Central Elementary
• Lizana Elementary
• Lyman Elementary
• North Gulfport Elementary & Middle
• North Woolmarket Elementary & Middle
• Orange Grove Elementary
• Pineville Elementary
• River Oaks Elementary
• Saucier Elementary
• Three Rivers Elementary
• West Wortham Elementary & Middle
• Woolmarket Elementary
 
This federal program will start in HCSD on October 1 and continue throughout the school year. According to the USDA, the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) provides a variety of free, fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to children at eligible elementary schools. A USDA study found that FFVP students eat more fruits and vegetables than students who do not participate in the program. Schools deliver FFVP snacks along with bite-sized nutrition lessons. This encourages children to try new foods, learn about seasonal produce, and set healthy eating habits to last a lifetime. FFVP also encourages schools to work with partners at the state and local levels to support the program. Since the program began in 2008, public and private partnerships have contributed to the program's success and offered healthier snacks in schools.
 
"We are thankful to the USDA for awarding yet another year of funding for this great program at 17 HCSD Schools,” said Brad Barlow, HCSD Registered Dietitian and Director of Child Nutrition Programs.
 
Click here for more information: https://www.fns.usda.gov/.../fresh-fruit-and-vegetable...