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Portland Public Schools
​Food Fund 

What is the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Food Fund?

The PPS Food Fund is a collaboration of the Foundation for PPS and Food Fuels Learning (FFL) and is made possible through generous donations by the community. The PPS Food Fund was established to provide community members the opportunity to invest in grassroots, school-based projects that build food security for PPS students and their families.

Apply for a PPS Food Fund Grant 

How do I know if I can apply?
Please review this Grant Criteria & Priorities document for comprehensive information and details about the PPS Food Fund and application process. 

All applicants must illustrate that the proposed project falls within these criteria: 
  • Project Area: within the Portland Public School District
  • Age Range: families with children or PPS students
  • Project Reach: more than a single family unit
  • Project must be related to immediate and/or long-term food security

What is the application timeline?
  • Release of Application          January 7, 2021 
  • **Application Due Date        February 12, 2021**
  • Application Review                 February 16, 2021 - February 26, 2021
  • Grantees Announced             March 1, 2021
  • Grants Distributed                   Week of March 1, 2021
  • Grant Reporting Due               June 1, 2021

Please note: the next application deadline is February 12, 2021 at 5:00pm.

Questions?
If you have questions about the application or PPS Food Fund, please contact info@ccfoodsecurity.org. 
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Ready to Apply?

Before applying, please review this Grant Criteria & Priorities document. 

Then, submit the short online application by clicking on the button below. 
Application Form

How to Donate

A secure online contribution can be made at:
https://foundationforpps.kindful.com
In the select a campaign drop down menu, please choose: PPS Food Fund.
(Please note – all contributions made online are 
assessed a fee from the payment processor (Stripe.) This will decrease the amount of your gift by about 3 percent.)
Checks should be made payable to:
Foundation for Portland Public Schools (or FPPS)
353 Cumberland Avenue
Portland, ME 04101
Attn: Jeanine Bischoff

In the memo line, please write:
PPS Food Fund

PPS Food Fund Grantees 

Fall 2019 Grantees
($900 granted in total)
  • King Food Pantry - Becky Bell 
  • Talbot (Riverton) Elemenary School - Alison Richards  
  • Casco Bay High School - Nancy Berang
 
Spring & Summer 2020 Emergency Grantees
($28,783.40 granted in total)
  • The Locker Project - Kathryn Sargent
  • PPS Food Service - Jane McLucas  
  • PPS Social Workers - Susan Wiggin  
  • Cultivating Community - Lily Chaleff  
  • East End Community School  - Naila Wissa  
  • Food For All Services - Khadija Ahmed  
  • FoodCorps - Rachel Solomon  
  • Presente Maine - Crystal Cron  
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Grantee Project Highlights

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​PPS Food Fund Grantee and 2nd grade teacher at Gerald E. Talbot Community School, Allison Richards, was eager to tell us about her project, "Garden Education and Materials". This project has provided her with funds to create a set of garden-based education lessons and materials developed for grades K-5 grade which are aligned to Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS).

"This project, which was initially created to provide materials for creating grade-level garden bins for just Talbot Elementary School, has expanded into a district-wide initiative that will eventually be implemented at every elementary school in Portland."
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This grant became a partnership between Cultivating Community, FoodCorps, and PPS district STEM coordinator to help design and build the bins, and is now being dispersed district (and even state!) wide. This small grant has gone very far to spark the ability to create tangible and replicable NSGG aligned garden lessons for teachers around the state.


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In the spring of 2020, shortly after the pandemic began, the Locker Project received a PPS Emergency Food Fund grant of $2,500 to purchase produce from local farms. Locker Project staff pack hundreds of green bags every week, filled with an assortment of purchased, donated, and rescued produce to share with PPS families. Social workers and other school staff send the bags home with students in need, and Portland Public Schools Food Services staff share them with families at meal sites. The Locker Project used the grant funds to purchase 2,250 pounds of potatoes, carrots, onions and tomatoes from Two Farmers Farm, Middle Intervale Farm, and the Somali Bantu Community Association's Liberation Farms for PPS families to enjoy!
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​Be sure to follow us on facebook to see more of the exciting projects that have developed through our PPS Food Fund Grantees!

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Food Fuels Learning believes all students have the right to nutritious food that allows them to attain their full potential.
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  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Leadership Team
    • Advisory Team
  • PPS Food Fund
  • Farm to School
  • Toolkit
  • Get Involved
    • Action Groups
    • Public Calendar
  • Donate
  • Resources & Media
    • PPS Needs Assessment
    • News & Updates
    • Quarterly & Annual Reports
  • Contact