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Victory Against Hunger Awards Announced

Celebrating outstanding efforts in fighting hunger through creating innovative farm to school programs, twenty-five organizations were awarded Victory Against Hunger Awards by the Congressional Hunger Center (CHC), Victory Wholesale Group, and National Farm to School Network. From California to Maine, we applaud the efforts and energy across the country working to increase nutrition in schools and provide children with lasting education in agriculture, health, and the environment.

The annual VAH Awards were established by David Kantor, President of Victory Wholesale Group, to recognize outstanding organizations in the United States that work to end hunger and improve nutrition and health at the local level. The National Farm to School Network is extremely honored to have the 2008 Victory Against Hunger (VAH) Award's theme be Farm to School. Congratulations to the following awardees:

ABOUT:

Founded in 1979, Victory Wholesale Group is a wholesale distributor of dry groceries and health and beauty care products. Victory is a national company employing hundreds of people across the country that distributes to wholesalers and retailers across the United States and Puerto Rico.

Established in 1993, CHC’s mission is to “fight hunger by developing leaders” who have a shared commitment to a nation and a world free from hunger. It embodies the spirit and goal of the former House Select Committee on Hunger, “to find real solutions to hunger and poverty.” CHC administers the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program and the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellows Program.

The National Farm to School Network sprouted from the desire to support community-based food systems, strengthen family farms, and improve student health by reducing childhood obesity. Supported in part by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, eight regional lead agencies and national staff provide free training and technical assistance, information services, networking, and support for policy, media and marketing activities. The Network is coordinated by the Center for Food & Justice at the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute at Occidental College (www.uepi.oxy.edu) and the Community Food Security Coalition (www.foodsecurity.org).

CONTACT:

Ed Cooney: 202-547-7022 x 14; ecooney@hungercenter.org
Lauren Flax: 202-547-7022 x 19; lflax@hungercenter.org
Marion Kalb: 505-474-5782; marion@foodsecurity.org
Debra Eschmeyer: 419-753-3412; deschmeyer@oxy.edu

For additional information about the Congressional Hunger Center, please visit www.hungercenter.org. For more information on farm to school, visit www.farmtoschool.org.

Albuquerque Public School District (Albuquerque, NM):

Albuquerque Public School District sets a noteworthy example by providing fresh, healthy, local food products to its 95,000 students. The Albuquerque Public School District has taken several steps to improve the health of children in the community by developing an innovative fresh fruit and vegetable snack program, which is assisted by Farm to Table, a local 501c3 organization; forming a Wellness Committee to develop the Albuquerque Public School District Wellness policy; creating Kids Cook! an innovative healthy cooking and physical activity learning experience for students; involving district food staff with local farmers to integrate the use of local farm products into the school's menu; and designing the Valley Cluster Project, "Healthy Kids, Healthy Economy," in which students receive two additional servings of fresh fruits and vegetables per week year-round.

Anderson School Districts 2, 3 and 5- Farm to School Program (Anderson, SC):

Belton Elementary School (Anderson School District 2), Starr Elementary School (Anderson School District 3) and Nevitt Forest Elementary School (Anderson School District 5) have partnered with Carolina Produce to implement the Grow With Me Farm to School Program, which would be one of the first Farm to School programs in the state of South Carolina. This partnership was created in response to the alarming statistics released in 2006-2007 by the Centers for Disease Control, ranking South Carolina fourth in the nation of adults who are chronically obese. Anderson County Schools and Carolina Produce have developed an innovative plan, "Crop of the Month," to educate students about nutrition and the importance of sustaining local agriculture.

Columbus East High School's "Cultivating Futures" Program (Columbus, IN):

The "Cultivating Futures" program is an excellent example of a locality that uses education to teach young people the importance of agriculture and the environment in providing nutrition. The mission of "Cultivating Futures" is to create and sustain a school vegetable garden that is integrated into the school's curriculum and lunch program. The students of Columbus East High School planned the garden, and students and staff from special education, building trades and numerous clubs cut sod and create the base for the garden. Not only are students learning how to provide for themselves and the importance of healthy nourishment, but they are also developing tools to teach others in the community the importance of locally grown produce.

Community Food Connections (Phoenix, AZ):

The Community Food Connections (CFC) of Arizona is making great strides to bring the Farm to School Program to students throughout the state of Arizona. CFC has developed specific Farm to School activities, including a partnership with University of Arizona and Tucson Community Food Bank to complete a statewide survey of food service workers and agricultural producers to assess interest in participating in Farm to School Program; participation in a three-year national program to support the development of a Farm to School network in the Four Corners region and nationwide; and efforts to identify and strengthen potential partnerships between social services, tribal groups, businesses, government agencies, local communities, farmers, educators and elected officials in order to create an infrastructure to support an on-going Farm to School program.

Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano (Concord, CA):

In 2007, the Farm 2 Kids program was created by the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano in response to the issue of childhood obesity and physical inactivity. By partnering with after-school programs, the Food Bank hopes to help low income children learn how to make healthy choices. Not only does the Food Bank create access to nutritionally dense healthy food by delivering fresh produce to be used as snacks and subject matters when teaching about the importance of fruits and vegetables, but the Food Bank has created a unique opportunity for each child to take home five to seven pounds of fresh produce each week. This program is so popular that it grew from serving five schools to serving 15 schools in Contra Costa County. Farm 2 School now helps an estimated 3,458 students and over 205,527 pounds of produce has been distributed throughout the community.

Food Literacy Project (Louisville, KY):

Food Literacy Project (FLP) at Oxmoor Farm's mission reflects a growing concern with the health and habits of Louisville residents. In addition to recognizing the serious health risks children face today, the Food Literacy Project takes a specific interest in addressing the disproportionate rise of obesity rates within impoverished communities. FLP provides solutions to this increasing problem by enabling students in the community to have direct experience on an eight-acre working vegetable farm. Hands-on, inquiry-based activities have been developed that meet Kentucky's core curriculum guidelines. FLP has developed a partnership with Jefferson County Public Schools and local farmers to promote the use of local produce and to pursue a pilot Farm to School program.

Foodlink (Rochester, NY):

Through a combination of entrepreneurial ingenuity and agricultural know-how, Foodlink has become a valuable asset to upstate New York's fight against hunger. Foodlink provides the missing connection between small local farmers and food purchasers, serving as an ordering and central distribution point to link farmers and food producers with local school districts. Foodlink has developed a number of programs that take aim at childhood hunger and other related issues, including obesity, increase in blood pressure, and early onset of Type II Diabetes. Five programs have been established that each play an integral role in Foodlink's effort to address childhood hunger: Freshwise Catering program, which serves breakfast and lunches to children in need using fresh fruits and vegetables; the Kids Café, working to lessen the impact of hunger by offering children after school homework help, nutrition education, and healthy meals that include fresh fruits and vegetables; and the Summer Meals Program, which helps children who receive free or reduced breakfasts and lunches during the school year to meet their nutritional needs during the summer months. This organization's goal is to "raise the bar" on institutional meals for kids by providing the best nutritional menu. Not only has Foodlink impacted thousands of children, but the organization has boosted the region's agricultural market and provided an example of how to solve problems by using local resources and initiatives.

Growing Home (Chicago, IL ):

Growing Home, an organization that targets urban areas geographically suffering from lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables, has transformed the educational opportunities of children in urban areas who have little knowledge of healthy food and living by working with social service groups, schools and local police departments. The focus of the organization is in the area of Englewood, which has suffered from decades of neglect, dismal unemployment levels and a crime rate that is among the top in the Chicago police districts. This area has been described as a "food desert" because of the lack of access to food in general, and particularly to fresh, healthy food. Through partnerships with various organizations within the community, Growing Home has played a key role in jump-starting the urban agriculture and green business districts in order to bring about community and economic development in Englewood. Growing Home recently created the "Bontemps Urban Farm" community center as a model of urban agriculture. The center will provide job training, transitional employment, youth and adult outreach programs, and an "edible school yard" for students at Bontemps Elementary. Growing Home wants to help children learn about growing food, educate children about how to prepare and cook the food they grow, and create excitement about growing your own food.

Hartland Elementary School's Farm to School Program (Hartland, VT):

In addition to connecting local farms and schools, Hartland Elementary School's Farm to School program helps develop curriculum to educate students on healthy eating habits. This program enables students to participate in field trips that allow students to see farms and take part in activities such as planting and harvesting vegetables. Farmers and specialists also visit Hartland Elementary School. The program has found that when students are included in the production of their breakfast and lunch menus, they gain a sense of ownership and are more willing to try new foods. Harland Elementary School Farm to School Project has a number of notable accomplishments: the Hoophouse Construction gives eighth graders the opportunity to start seeds and sow seeds; Support School Lunch Program helps purchase local produce for school lunches; Farm to School Day brings local farmers into the elementary school to teach about the importance of local agriculture; Cereal gives students the chance to make their own cereals, design boxes that include nutrition facts, and the opportunity to sell the cereal; and the Hartland Farm Fest, made possible by a combined office of the Farm to School program and local farmers. The Hartland Elementary School's Farm to School Program significantly impacts the surrounding community by helping to foster, and to promote the value of local agriculture and food, stressing the focus of continuing to develop efforts during these times of food shortage, high food costs, childhood obesity and other related societal challenges.

HEAL Project (Half Moon Bay, CA):

The HEAL Project, which operates within four elementary schools in San Mateo County, is sponsored by the Coastside Health Committee. Students are connected with local agriculture, history, ecosystems, and microclimates thanks to the comprehensive approach utilized by HEAL. The Project, in which approximately 600 elementary students participate, develops tools to ensure lifelong healthy eating and lifestyle habits, and involves parents, high school students and community volunteers. As obesity rates increase, especially among low-income children in this area, HEAL has become dedicated to address a solution to this problem. The Heal Project hopes to educate the community through educating children because children will take home the habits of a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Acadia (Bar Harbor, ME):

Healthy Acadia connects farms with schools in Hancock County, ME as part its effort to systemically assure a reliable, locally-produced supply of food and to increase vegetable consumption among school children. The connections created by Healthy Acadia help schools provide healthier lunches while providing small farms with access to local institutional markets. This is especially important in the Downeast region of Maine, where there are higher than average low-income, poverty and childhood obesity rates, and the local agricultural economy is challenged to find new markets for its products. Elements of Healthy Acadia's Farm to School initiative include: publication of a Hancock County Farm to School Directory, the first of its kind in Maine, identifies local farms and seafood companies interested in selling their products to area schools; and assistance with farm to school connections and nutrition education support for USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program funds. In addition, Healthy Acadia facilitates the creation of Farm to School programs by identifying schools that are "ready" to initiate farm to school purchasing, then working closely with the schools to set goals and assure program success and sustainability. Healthy Acadia has taken on a leadership role to promote Farm to School, which helps the local economy, particularly the rural, low income parts of Maine that are in great need of access to fresh, healthy food and greater understanding of, and appreciation for, their food system.

Hoosier Hills Homegrown Natural Meats Cooperative (Moores Hill, IN):

The Hoosier Homegrown Natural Meats Cooperative has begun to sell meats and produce to one local school and is in negotiations with several other schools. Hoosier Hills Cooperative products are not only healthy and nutritious, but are also source-verified and can be traced back to the farm of origin. This means that the safety of the food is promoted, and ties between agricultural producers and the community are strengthened. The Cooperative has taken initiative to develop a relationship with a local school to promote safe and nutritious eating, and the group hopes to develop partnerships with additional schools.

Jubilee Project (Sneedville, TN):

Three years ago, the Jubilee Project created the Farm to School program because it recognized a need to open new, reliable markets for the struggling small to medium sized farmers, keep money in the local economy, and benefit the environment, all while improving the health and agricultural education of the children in East Tennessee. The program now has partnerships with 15 farms. These farmers are participating in two specific projects this year. The first project is a potato wedge project, which offers a healthy alternative to deep fried French fries. The second program is a lettuce, spinach and grape tomato project. Using season extension structures such as hoophouses, greenhouses and row cover, the growers hope to provide this produce for a large part of the school year. This Farm to School program collaborates with 4-H, school personnel, students and the community to create a school garden at a local elementary school, and the program is now in the process of facilitating several raised bed vegetable plots. In addition to facilitating these admirable programs, Jubilee's program educates its farmers as well as the children. They have provided and will continue to provide many free workshops to their growers.

Kids First (Providence, RI):

Kids First manages Rhode Island's Farm to School Project, an innovative program that works toward ending hunger while improving the nutrition and health of children in Rhode Island's public schools. Kids First promotes healthy food preparation and establishes new policies that support healthy eating in schools. Over the past three years, Kids First has worked to integrate fresh fruits and vegetables into every school district in the state. As a result, 28 of Rhode Island's 36 school districts are incorporating fresh local food into their school menus, providing a positive outcome not only for the health and well-being of our children, but for Rhode Island's farming community, as well. Kids First has created a plan to institutionalize Farm to School in all Rhode Island school districts in the next two years. This organization hopes to become a model for other institutions in the state.

Little Falls Community School District:

The Little Falls Community School District, in collaboration with the Grace of God Mission, is in the process of creating an innovative new Farm to School program that will deliver healthy foods to schools, bridge the gap between children and agriculture producers, and educate families on the importance of good nutrition. A Wellness Fair kickoff was held the end of August to educate the school staff and school board and introduce them to the project by serving a complete meal of locally-raised food. Beginning this fall, the Little Falls Community School District is offering one local agriculture product each month throughout the school year. The school will send a monthly newsletter to the parents of each of the 1,800 students in the Little Falls school system with information about the featured food, kid friendly recipes, food safety handling tips, information on local producers and Web links. In addition, one Tuesday a month, a school in the system will have a "tasting and education" day during which the farmer who produced the featured product will come to the school to talk about how it is produced. Every Thursday that follows, that product will be served in a recipe to the entire school system. The program hopes to bring this program to other schools within the area and expand the use of locally-raised foods in the schools. The Little Falls Community School District is taking a fresh, innovative approach to providing Minnesota school children with healthy foods.

Mechanicsburg Area School District (Mechanicsburg, PA):

This program, begun in 1992, has provided a unique way to educate teachers, students and their parents about the importance of agriculture and its role in positively influencing life-long nutritional habits, the importance of caring for and preserving our environment, and the importance of giving back to the local community. The origin of this Farm to School program was based on teaching elementary aged children how to garden. A single fenced organic garden at one elementary school has spread throughout the entire school district, resulting in gardens in each of Mechanicsburg Area School District's four Intermediate Level Elementary Schools. Fifth grade students, known as the Green Team, begin the school year by planting seeds from the previous year's finest produce. In addition to tending to the gardens, the students meet once a week for two hours after school to learn about organic gardening and the five R's (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rebuy), to learn about composting, and to listen to environmentally involved speakers. The Green Team and community members work during summer months as well to tend to the gardens. Last year, the gardens produced over 600 pounds of fresh organic vegetables, which were provided free to students in the elementary schools and donated to the Channels Food Rescue projects Central Pennsylvania. These programs have helped to combat hunger in a school where 43% of the children are eligible for free/reduced price school meals, and have increased the willingness of students to embrace all types of fruits and vegetables. The innovative Farm to School program and nutrition programs at the Mechanicsburg Area School District are making a positive and lasting impact on students, their families, and the Central Pennsylvania community.

Missoula County Farm to School Program (Missoula, MT):

Montana's first Farm to School program was created in Missoula by the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition. The Missoula County Farm to School program has implemented key initiatives to solve the problem of hunger in its school district. Through the collaborative efforts of local farmers and educators, the program is fast becoming a model for those cities that hope to produce not only healthy kids but also a healthy community. The program has secured nutritious foods for the cafeterias of the district's three middle schools and nine elementary schools. Last year, the program worked with local area farmers to provide 4,680 pounds of Montana grown fruit. A partnership was also developed with Wheat Montana to incorporate the use of whole-wheat flour into all baked goods, which significantly increased the nutrition of lunch rolls and pastries. By working with local area farmers, the Missoula Farm to School Program has provided low-income students access to high-quality, local produce through their school meals. The Missoula Farm to School organization also plans to implement a summer feeding program that will supply local fruits and vegetables to low-income children.

National Hmong American Farmers, Inc. (Fresno, CA):

Based in Fresno California, the National Hmong American Farmers (NHAF) works to facilitate, improve and increase minority and small farmers' access to both lucrative markets and beneficial programs. This work enables these farmers to remain self-sustaining and productive members of the local agricultural community. Last year, several NHAF member farmers provided several hundred boxes of fresh strawberries to a school district, serving elementary, junior high and high school students as part of the breakfast program. Not only does this involvement create pride for the local Hmong farmers, it also serves to educate the students about farming, where food comes from and how it is grown and prepared. NHAF also takes part in outreach programs to educate children and families about farming in general, increasing nutritional awareness, and enriching cultural diversity within the community.

Oelwein Community School District (Oelwein, IA):

The Oelwein Community School District is in the process of implementing an innovative program to encourage local food production while providing nutritious meals to the children of the community. The School District participates in the Summer Food Service Program, serving approximately 125 lunches to children daily. By conducting this program, the Oelwein Community School District is meeting an important need in this small, rural community where 50% free and reduced price meals are provided. The School District has also created a partnership with the Future Farmer's of America (FFA) Chapter in Oelwein to enhance the direct farm to school connection that is being continued throughout the school year.

Sustainable Food Center's Sprouting Healthy Kids Program (Austin, TX):

The Sustainable Food Center cultivates a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food. From seed to table, the Sustainable Food Center creates opportunities for individuals to make healthy food choices and to participate in a creative, local food system. Through organic food gardening, relationships with area farmers, interactive cooking classes and nutrition education, children and adults have increased access to locally grown food and are empowered to improve long term health within the surrounding community. The Sprouting Healthy Kids program increases direct access to nutritious food by empowering school children to grow their own food in school gardens and by incorporating local farm produce into the school cafeteria menu. Nutrition education is also provided through in class food systems lessons and an afterschool program, which incorporates hands on gardening and cooking activities, peer-facilitated interactive nutrition demonstrations and farm presentations in schools. Local farmers have provided access to fresh, locally grown foods for 880 students in two schools through school cafeterias. Sustainable Food Center is launching Sprouting Healthy Communities based on the Sprouting Healthy Kids program. The new program is a targeted community intervention involving all aspects of Sustainable Food Center work in order to positively affect the health and vitality of the most at-risk communities in Austin.

The Food Trust's Kindergarten Initiative (Philadelphia, PA):

Developed in Philadelphia by The Food Trust, an organization that works to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious foods, the Kindergarten Initiative promotes healthy eating habits in your children through education, food from local farms and parent engagement activities. The Kindergarten Initiative has three main components: local snacks, nutrition and agriculture education, and parent engagement. By combining these components, the Initiative works to help ensure the food security of underserved children by providing access to nutritious, affordable foods, and the food security of family farmers by opening a new market and supporting their economic viability. Created with the goal of increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as providing a new market for farmers, the Kindergarten Initiative created a model that teachers, parents, and administrators all valued and wanted to share. Building the success of the Kindergarten Initiative in Pennsylvania, the Food Trust recently developed a Kindergarten Initiative Toolkit that outlines the successes of the Kindergarten initiative. The toolkit is an interactive guide that outlines the key components of the program and provides numerous tools and resources that schools, teachers and parents can use to begin to educate themselves. The Food Trust's Kindergarten Initiative has proven to be an effective program for education children and families about healthy eating and the source of food.

VT Food Education Every Day (Richmond, VT):

VT FEED is recognized nationally as a leader in the farm to school movement, and as a comprehensive state model of a successful farm to school program. VT FEED has worked with more than one third of Vermont schools, raising awareness about the importance of connecting children to their local food system and helping schools to access fresh, local food through relationships with Vermont farms and their local communities. VT FEED has partnered with many public and non-profit organizations in Vermont and throughout the country to establish and support farm to school programs. VT FEED has also collaborated with Vermont legislators and state agencies to lead the state through a visioning process and development of farm to school legislation, resulting in the passage of two farm to school bills in 2006 and 2007. The organization has created training tools, conducted numerous workshops and provided on-site technical assistance to school personnel, food service, farmers and parents in order to support regional farm to school programs and train leaders to bring the farm to school initiative back to their own community. Through the three "C's" approach -- cafeteria, classroom and community -- VT FEED has provided hands on food, farm and nutrition training to staff from over 100 schools in Vermont so that children and youth make a connection with their food and where it comes from.

Willamette Farm to Food Coalition's Farm to School Program ( OR):

The Willamette Farm and Food Coalition (WFFC) Farm to School program is committed to providing area children with local, affordable, nutritious, and delicious food. They work to educated children about where their food comes from and to incorporate locally grown produce into the meals served in schools. The WFFC has successfully implemented the following components in six area schools: field trips to local farms; nutrition lessons focused on the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables; school garden sessions where students plant, tend, and harvest their own plants; tasting tables offering fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria; harvest days where students prepare a meal using fruits and vegetables from a farm they visited. A partnership has also been created with four Lane County school districts to incorporate Oregon grown produce into student meals as part of the National School Lunch Program. The Willamette Farm and Food Coalition's Farm to School Program is making a healthy difference in the lives of the children within the community.

Worcester Public School System (Worcester, MA):

In 2004, the Worcester Public School (WPS) system served as a pilot site for the Massachusetts Farm to School program. This statewide community initiative is comprised of various supporters, including but not limited to: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, MassDevelopment, and the Massachusetts Department of Education. To date, Worcester Public School system is credited with being the largest pioneer for the project in the state. In addition, this Farm to School program now includes more than 50 Massachusetts farms directly selling locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as eggs, cheese and meats to more than 100 schools and colleges in the state. WPS provides meals to children not only during the regular year but also during the summer months as part of the USDA Summer Meals Program, which provides free late morning and evening meals to children and youth ages 18 and under, 7 days per week. The Director for School Nutrition for WPS served on the advisory board for the Massachusetts Farm to School Cookbook, which was introduced this past year. The cookbook has proved to be a wonderful resource for school nutrition directors and managers as they strive to improve the nutritional quality of the school lunch. In addition, this cookbook includes seasonal buying tips and information on accessing nearby farmers and is an ideal tool for bringing more fresh produce into schools. Since the Worcester Public School system's involvement in the Farm to School Project, lunch participation has increased 15% to an overall participation rate of 70% district wide, providing local produce to over 15,500 students throughout 60 feeding sites every day. The Farm to School program has proven so beneficial to the City of Worcester, it has been incorporated as a major component of the WPS Wellness Policy.

 

 
 

 

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