Gadsden City Schools has been awarded a School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) Equipment Grant worth up to $50,000 in foodservice equipment from Winston Foodservice.
The grant was awarded to Mary Inzer, director of child nutrition for Gadsden City Schools, and is one of two Winston Equipment Grants presented nationwide through the School Nutrition Foundation’s 2026 Equipment Grant program.
The funding is designed to help school meal programs address staffing, budget and operational challenges while expanding fresh and scratch-made menu options, improving efficiency and enhancing the cafeteria experience for students.
District officials said growing enrollment and a student population in which more than 80 percent qualify for free or reduced-price meals have increased the need for reliable foodservice equipment.
The grant will provide new heated holding cabinets for four elementary schools and Litchfield Middle School. The equipment will help keep food at proper serving temperatures, improve food safety and quality, and allow cafeteria staff to expand menu offerings.
According to the district, the new equipment will reduce the time employees spend monitoring food temperatures, allowing them to focus more on meal preparation using fresh ingredients. The energy-efficient warmers are also expected to lower electricity costs.
“Our students see school meals as a lifeline, and this grant helps ensure those meals are healthy and tasty,” Inzer said. “New food warmers will reduce burden and stress for staff trying to keep food safe and also help expand our menus and ensure smooth service of hot and fresh foods.”
A recent School Nutrition Association survey found that 94 percent of school meal program directors reported needing additional equipment and infrastructure to increase scratch cooking and reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods.
“It’s an honor to provide this grant and alleviate Mary and her team of the extra time and effort that has been required of them due to outdated equipment,” said SNF Chair Gay Anderson.
As part of the award, Gadsden City Schools will work with Winston Foodservice representatives to order and install the equipment in preparation for the upcoming school year.
The School Nutrition Foundation is the charitable arm of the School Nutrition Association and supports school nutrition professionals through grants, scholarships, training opportunities and research. The School Nutrition Association is a national nonprofit organization representing approximately 50,000 school nutrition professionals nationwide.
