The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) has named Ashley Teasley, Food Service Director for Fulton Independent School in Kentucky, the recipient of one of two grants worth up to $50,000 in Winston Foodservice Equipment. The grant is among 2025 SNF Equipment Grants available to help school meal programs overcome staffing, budget or operational challenges. The additional funding supports programs working to expand fresh and scratch-made menu options, increase efficiencies and enhance the cafeteria experience to nourish students’ school days.
According to Teasley, most equipment the kitchen staff uses each day is inefficient and has not been replaced for decades. The steamer is no longer functional, and the oven often sets off the fire alarm because it releases excessive heat. Both are more than 20 years old and many replacement parts are not available. Outdated ovens often limit the variety of meals they can prepare efficiently, making it more challenging to increase scratch cooking and meet the needs of the diverse student population. With a large portion of students suffering from food insecurity, Fulton operates multiple programs to meet community needs, including National School Lunch and School Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Fresh Fruit & Vegetable and Summer Feeding.
“Replacing broken and outdated equipment is a crucial step toward achieving our goal of providing high-quality, nutritious meals that support student health, well-being and academic success,” said Teasley. “Modern, full-functioning equipment allows kitchen staff to prepare fresher, better-tasting meals, which will in turn encourage students to choose school meals over skipping meals or bringing food from home.”
Teasley adds that equipment failures contribute to increased food waste, longer preparation times and potential compliance issues. New equipment will streamline meal preparation, reduce physical strain on kitchen staff and allow them to focus on meal quality rather than troubleshooting equipment. The updated equipment will also help generate more revenue with increased student participation, which ensures children in need are nourished during the school day.
“Fulton Independent School is in great need of equipment and we are happy to foster this upgrade to help them improve all aspects of their food service program,” said SNF Chair Becky Domokos-Bays, PhD, RD, SNS. “Ashley and her staff are committed to their students and new equipment will allow them to take their efforts to a higher level.”
As the recipient of the Winston Equipment Grant, Fulton Independent School will be awarded up to $50,000 worth of Winston equipment. They will work with Winston Foodservice representatives to get the needed equipment ordered and delivered for the next school year.
In addition, Fulton Independent School was also awarded one of 50 Innoseal Set-up Kits, including two Innoseal Professional Sealers and a case of 28-pack multi-color refills. The SNF Innoseal Equipment Grant enables schools with an efficient bag sealing machine that keeps fruits and vegetables fresh.
About School Nutrition Foundation:
The School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) is the charitable arm of the School Nutrition Association (SNA). SNF supports school nutrition professionals by offering grants and scholarships, providing free training opportunities and identifying research, trends and innovations. The 2025 SNF Equipment Grants are made possible by the generous contributions of Alto-Shaam, AmTab, Cambro Manufacturing, Food Warming Equipment Company (FWE), Hobart (ITW Food Equipment Group LLC Brand), Innoseal, LTI, Inc., Sterno Delivery, Vulcan (ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand), and Winston Foodservice.
About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.
