Hobart Announces 2023 Equipment Grant Winner and 2024 Grant Opportunity

TROY, Ohio (December 15, 2023) –  Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment, is pleased to announce that Evanston Township High School (ETHS) was the 2023 winner of a food prep equipment grant. Hobart awarded the grant to the school, based in Evanston, Ill., through participation with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF). 

The ETHS district met the grant criteria with its plan to provide more semi-scratch meals and by demonstrating the need for new equipment to help with the program. In addition to producing meals for four on-site cafeterias, the school’s central kitchen supports 17 elementary and preschools in the surrounding community. ETHS chose the Hobart HS9 automatic heavy-duty slicer, HCM61 bowl-style food processor and three equipment stands. 

“Our aim is to offer students more fresh, local food options to support their healthy lifestyles and increase student participation in our breakfast and lunch programs,” says Kimberly Minestra, nutrition services program director, ETHS. “The new equipment will be invaluable in helping us reach the goal of providing more semi-scratch meals.”

ETHS district offers local and sustainable programming for students to put into action. Through its Urban Agriculture course, students support the organic farming practices for on-site school gardens spanning more than 5,000 square feet. These gardens yield 2,200 to 3,000 pounds of produce annually for student and staff cafeterias during the standard school year and summer school. 

“We are always excited to hear about schools who are dedicated to bringing fresh, from-scratch menu items to their students,” says Carolyn Bilger, marketing director, Hobart Food Equipment Group. “Knowing that Hobart can support ETHS’s efforts through this equipment grant is rewarding. We wish them the best with their initiatives.”

Hobart will again collaborate with the SNF to provide the Hobart Equipment Grant in 2024. It will award up to $35,000 of food prep equipment to one school district that is a member of the School Nutrition Association (SNA). The grant application opens January 2024. For information on how schools can qualify, visit Schoolnutrition.org/snf/equipment-grants/. 

About Hobart
At Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand, it is our mission to provide premium food preparation equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out, empowering them to focus on what they love most - creating great food for great people. From one plate to one thousand, Hobart helps you satisfy every appetite. Whether you need to mix, chop, grind or peel, our legendary equipment is the perfect partner. Backed by our nationwide network of 1,500 factory-trained service technicians, we're always nearby to install, maintain and service your equipment. Hobart is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) and is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year since 2008. Explore Hobart by visiting Hobartcorp.com, connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/hobartcorp or by contacting your local Hobart representative at 888-4HOBART.