West Orange–Cove awarded $81,000+ grant

Special to The Leader

July 02, 2009 06:22 pm

— The West Orange–Cove CISD is one of 381 schools in Texas to be awarded a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (AARA).
Approximately 3,000 Texas schools applied for more than $11 million through the Texas Department of Agriculture.West Orange-Cove CISD will receive $81,659 which will fund the purchase of five pieces of kitchen equipment at North Early Learning Center; and one piece of equipment at Lorena Oates Elementary.
“We are taking advantage of every grant possibility that comes to us,” said Dr. O. Taylor Collins, West Orange-Cove CISD superintendent. “This is one of many that we have been awarded in recent times. I am very pleased that we will be able to replace some very old equipment in our kitchens.”
At the North Early Learning Center campus, $68,363 will fund the purchase of two convection ovens, two reach-in coolers, one steamer, three reach-in freezers, and two milk coolers; while the remaining $13,296 will fund two reach-in coolers at Lorena Oates Elementary.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009. It provides a one-time appropriation of $100 million equipment assistance to school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program.
Texas school will receive $11.5 million among all schools that competitively apply for these grants. Allowable funding includes non-expendable equipment with a useful life of more than one year and a per unit acquisition cost of $5,000.
West Orange–Cove CISD and Beaumont ISD’s Fletcher Elementary were the only schools in the Region V Education Service Center area to be awarded this grant.