The Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR), in partnership with the Office of Grants Management (OGM), has awarded a total of $2,303,775 to 13 organizations through the FY26 School-Based Food Assistance (SBFA) Grant Program.

From the county press release:

“As a former teacher, I knew students who came to school hungry and relied on the meals they received there,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “That experience has always stayed with me, and it is why this work is so important. With this program now reaching more than 9,000 households across 96 schools, we are taking real steps to reduce hunger and make sure children are ready to learn. By bringing food assistance directly into schools, we remove barriers for families and give students the support they deserve. I am pleased that we are expanding this program to reach more schools and families.”

The funding ensures continued food assistance at more than 60 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) sites supported in the 2024-2025 school year through the FY25 SBFA Grant Program, while also expanding support to over 30 additional schools to provide families with convenient access to healthy, culturally relevant foods.

Eleven of the 13 awarded organizations were funded through previous rounds of the SBFA Grant Program, and all 13 grantees demonstrate successful performance histories serving school communities in Montgomery County. Food assistance offerings include pre-packed boxes of locally sourced, culturally relevant produce items, family markets to promote flexibility of choice and variety, and prepared meals for students with medically tailored diets.

The SBFA Grant Program was initially established with funding allocated to the OFSR in February 2024 through Special Appropriation 24-37, in alignment with the recommendations outlined in the Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger. In the FY25 grant cycle (Sept. 2024- June 2025), 11 grantees distributed more than 268,000 pounds of food to nearly 50,000 MCPS students.