Baxter Manufacturing, a leading foodservice and bakery equipment provider, proudly awards its annual Equipment for Education Grant to Lori Drenth, Foodservice Director at Hernando County School District in Brooksville, Florida. This grant program was established in partnership with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) to help a deserving school better serve nutritious, great-tasting meals to its students.

As the 2016 grant winner, Westside Elementary receives a Baxter OV310 mini rotating rack oven—designed with K-12 kitchens’ versatile cooking needs in mind. A multi-year warranty, delivery, set-up and start-up service will be provided by Hobart Service. Drenth is also awarded a $500 scholarship toward registration and travel expenses to attend the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC) in San Antonio, Texas, this July, where she will be recognized as this year's grant winner.

In response to receiving the grant, Drenth said, “The current ovens at my school district are older and often in need of repair, thus sometimes limiting options for students. This can make it especially difficult to prepare meals for larger quantities of students. The Baxter OV310 oven increases the nutritional and aesthetic quality of the food being served to children, and also increases meal participation at our school.”

Steve Wright, product line manager at Baxter, commented, “We continue to appreciate the number of applications we receive from all the schools and foodservice directors who are fully committed to bringing more nutrition to children throughout the U.S. Congratulations to Hernando County School District and Lori Drenth who we know will put their oven to great use in baking delicious food for their students.”

Janet Hedrick, director of development for SNF, added, “The School Nutrition Foundation has been pleased to partner again with Baxter and Hobart Service to award this grant. Recent reports show that most schools are in need, so we’re happy to help in any way possible.” 

Eligible foodservice professionals who are active SNA director-level members responsible for directing school nutrition programs at their school district are encouraged to apply for next year’s grant starting in the fall of 2016 at schoolnutrition.org/EquipmentGrants/.