PITTSFIELD, Mass. Mar. 9, 2015–Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, through the Office for Nutrition, Health and Safety Programs has awarded Hillcrest Educational Centers a $17,797 School Nutrition Equipment Assistance Grant for High Need Districts for the Center School.  The grant is to encourage schools to increase their capacity to serve healthier meals that meet the 2014-2015 USDA meal pattern as part of participating in the National School Lunch Program.  The Center school will purchase a new walk-in cooler /dry storage unit to replace the outdated, inefficient smaller unit.  

Replacing the walk-in cooler will allow for a greater variety of products to be purchased and stored, helping Hillcrest have a variety of foods on hand to offer the minimum daily quantity requirements.  Since Hillcrest Center School has varying ages and cognitively functioning students, staff must work extra hard to make food appealing while offering a wider variety of required foods than other schools.  School nutrition staff must also understand and apply the laws and regulations that require accommodations for children with special food and nutrition needs daily.    

Replacing the current walk-in cooler, which is over 20 years old, with an energy efficient new model will reduce energy costs annually while reducing CO2 emissions.  Technology options for reducing walk-in energy consumption include improved insulation, evaporator fan control, high-efficiency compressors and fan motors and LED lighting.

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About Hillcrest Educational Foundation
A top area employer, Hillcrest Educational Foundation is a private not-for-profit agency, serving students from across the country. Hillcrest was started as an organization that provided residential programs for students with complex psychiatric, behavioral and/or developmental disorders, including autism, and a variety of high-risk behaviors. While the agency still provides these residential services, today Hillcrest also offers nonresidential day programs and services for emotionally/behaviorally disturbed students at their Housatonic Academy, general family dentistry at Hillcrest Dental Care and outpatient mental health services for children, adolescents and adults through Hillcrest Community Support Services. Hillcrest’s Administrative Offices are located at 788 South Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201. More information is available at www.hillcrestec.org.  

Media Contact:

Hillcrest Educational Foundation, Inc.
Katrina Cardillo
Director of Communications
413-499-7924 ext. 114
kcardillo@hillcrestec.org