Monroe County has awarded grants of up to $5,000 apiece to five local school districts for their efforts to keep food waste out of landfills.
Brighton, Fairport, Penfield, Pittsford, and West Irondequoit were awarded the Food Waste Diversion Program grants. All received the same grants during the program's initial round of funding last year.
The grants will be used for existing and new programs intended to "advance student understanding of food conservation," according to a county news release. The grants are part of a broader, community-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The districts' proposals included initiatives around staff training, student education, and composting programs in food prep areas, cafeterias, and school events.
Between September and December 2025, the five districts kept 85,000 pounds of food waste out of landfills by sending the scraps to organics recycling facilities, the release stated.
