BISMARCK – The North Dakota Farm to Early Care and Education Coalition, led by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) and the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), has selected the recipients for Farm to School garden grants. The grants have been awarded to 35 state licensed early childhood education centers to purchase supplies and equipment for growing fruits and vegetables.
“The program will help connect children with local food systems and agriculture,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “Students will learn where their food comes from, and the initiative will help them develop skills that they can use throughout their lives.”
“Hungry students have more difficulties learning and paying attention. Frankly, this is true for everyone. These Farm to School Garden Grants help to ensure our students are well fed with healthy, nourishing food, and there’s an added bonus – their fruits and vegetables are coming from North Dakota producers,” said Kirsten Baesler, the state school superintendent.
Early childhood education centers receiving grants are:
- Mindy’s Clubhouse – New Rockford
- New Song Kids Care – Bismarck
- Giggles N Grins Child Care Center – Wahpeton
- Kiddie Korral 2.0 Child Care Center – Minot
- Community Church Child Care – Bismarck
- Jasmin Child Care & Preschool – Fargo
- Frolicking Friends Childcare – Wishek
- Joyful Beginnings Child Care & Preschool – Devils Lake
- All 4 Learning Childcare Center – Grand Forks
- Kids Next Door – Rugby
- Cando Community Child Care – Cando
- Boys and Girls Club of the Red River Valley – Rose Creek – Fargo
- Bismarck Early Childhood Education Center – Bismarck
- Wolf Pup Daycare Badlands – Watford City
- Learning Tree Preschool – Mandan
- Teensy Toes Daycare LLC – Williston
- Happy Trails Childcare – Enderlin
- Montessori of Minot / Acorn Hollow ELC – Minot
- Killdeer Public School Preschool – Killdeer
- Porcupine Head Start – Shields
- Learn ‘n Move Childcare – Fargo
- Rugby Early Learning Center / Head Start – Rugby
- Cankdeska Cikana Community College Head Start – St. Michael
- Cannonball Head Start – Cannonball
- Belcourt School District Tiny Turtles Preschool Program – Belcourt
- Early Explorers Head Start – Anamoose
- Park River Area School Preschool and Early Learning Center – Park River
- New Discovery Montessori Center – Mandan
- Bowman County School Pre-K – Bowman
- Rocking Horse Child Care – Grafton
- Early Childhood Program – Dickinson
- Jeremiah Program – Fargo
- Mayville State University Center for Child Development – Hillsboro
- Mayville State University Center for Child Development – Mayville
- Tiny Treasures - Leeds
The coalition also includes members from the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (NDDHHS), North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension and Fargo-Cass Public Health. Grantees will be provided technical assistance through webinars and master gardener volunteers from NDSU Extension.
The coalition received 241 applications from early childhood education centers across the state. The grants were funded through the United States Department of Agriculture Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Award and the NDDHHS Maternal and Child Health Program.
Questions may be directed to North Dakota Department of Agriculture Local Foods Marketing Specialist Jenna Nieters at 701-328-2659 or jnieters@nd.gov, or North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Farm to School Specialist Amanda Olson at 701-328-0817 or amolson@nd.gov.