Georgia Organics receives $250,000 grant for school program

ajc.com

Credit: John Kessler

Credit: John Kessler

Most of us remember the days when "vegetables" in school cafeterias meant either canned corn or an extremely suspect leaf of limp lettuce on a sandwich. The times are changing.

Today the James M. Cox Foundation awarded a $250,000 grant to Georgia Organics in support of the organization’s Farm to School program. This nationwide movement "connects schools and local farms "to serve healthy meals in school cafeterias, improve student nutrition and promote farm or gardening educational opportunities," according to today's announcement.

The Farm to School program, which began in 2007, has been implemented in 30 school districts.

“It is an exciting time to be a part of the Farm to School movement,” said Alex Taylor, Cox Enterprises executive vice president in a prepared statement.

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, agribusiness is the state’s leading industry and contributes $71.1 billion to Georgia’s economy.

The James M. Cox Foundation is administered by Cox Enterprises, parent company of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.