Transform School Food Systems

Schools are the public tables from which 30 million children eat up to two-thirds of their meals. Changing the way we feed children in school will directly impact their health and well-being. Food & Community transforms school food to help grow healthier generations of children. Specific grantees include:

• School Food FOCUS. This national initiative helps large school districts serve healthier, sustainably produced and regionally sourced food so children perform better in school and are healthier in life.
• National Farm to School Network. Farm to School programs connect schools and local farms. The National Farm to School Network is the lead organization providing technical assistance and marketing support for interested school districts and states. Since 2007, the Network has supported more than 9,700 schools in all 50 states.
• Healthy Schools Campaign. Healthy Schools Campaign supports parents in advocating for improved school food and advocates for policies and practices that enable students, teachers and staff to learn and work in a healthy school environment.
• FoodCorps. This program of the National Farm to School Network works to combat childhood obesity, particularly in low-income, limited-food-access communities. Starting in the fall 20ll, FoodCorps will put 1,000 AmeriCorps service members to work building farm to school and school garden projects in communities, with the goals of improving access to healthy food among vulnerable children; enriching food culture in urban and rural food deserts; increasing physical activity at school; and providing mentoring and seed-sowing for a future generation of farmers and good food advocates.