Stakeholder Perspectives on Applying for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in Low-Resource Schools
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| Title: | Stakeholder Perspectives on Applying for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program in Low-Resource Schools |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Kathryn Hoy (ORCID |
| Source: | Journal of School Health. 2026 96(5). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 13 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Food, Nutrition, Low Income Groups, Public Schools, Stakeholders, Attitudes, Barriers, Grants, Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, School Personnel, Role |
| Geographic Terms: | South Carolina |
| DOI: | 10.1111/josh.70151 |
| ISSN: | 0022-4391 1746-1561 |
| Abstract: | Background: The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) was designed to increase access to nutritious foods in low-income schools; however, many eligible schools do not participate. This study explores how school stakeholders in low-resource settings make decisions about applying for the FFVP grant. Methods: Fifty-four one-hour in-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders from 14 low-income South Carolina public schools. Interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Stakeholders applied for an FFVP grant when they believed the program would benefit students, felt a moral obligation to address injustices, perceived the school as eligible, and thought they had the capacity to manage the program's administrative burdens. Common barriers reported were being overburdened with other responsibilities at the school level, a lack of funding continuity, and not having physical space to accommodate the produce snacks. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Reframing narratives surrounding child hunger and nutrition programs from welfare state and free-market frames could augment applications as it reduces contextual and systematic barriers to application. Conclusions: This study shows that school stakeholder motivations for application emphasize context surrounding child well-being and moral imperatives in addition to eligibility systems and capacity. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1504536 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Background: The USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) was designed to increase access to nutritious foods in low-income schools; however, many eligible schools do not participate. This study explores how school stakeholders in low-resource settings make decisions about applying for the FFVP grant. Methods: Fifty-four one-hour in-depth interviews were conducted with stakeholders from 14 low-income South Carolina public schools. Interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Stakeholders applied for an FFVP grant when they believed the program would benefit students, felt a moral obligation to address injustices, perceived the school as eligible, and thought they had the capacity to manage the program's administrative burdens. Common barriers reported were being overburdened with other responsibilities at the school level, a lack of funding continuity, and not having physical space to accommodate the produce snacks. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Reframing narratives surrounding child hunger and nutrition programs from welfare state and free-market frames could augment applications as it reduces contextual and systematic barriers to application. Conclusions: This study shows that school stakeholder motivations for application emphasize context surrounding child well-being and moral imperatives in addition to eligibility systems and capacity. |
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| ISSN: | 0022-4391 1746-1561 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/josh.70151 |
