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Latest
News from the Rhode Island Farm to School Project
By Dorothy Brayley, Executive Director, Kids First
We're excited to report to all of you that the 2008 harvest has already
experienced Farm to School sales and publicity (and Farm to Summer Food
Service Program sales, too!) Strawberries from Ferolbink Farms in Tiverton
were delivered to North Providence schools by Community Fruitland. You
can see a great photo layout by visiting www.communityfruit.com
and clicking on Special Events. Local press attended the event and
photos appeared in the North Providence Valley Breeze/Observer. Ferolbink's
strawberries also made their way to Narragansett and South Kingstown schools
and some from Quonsett View Farm went to Narragansett too.
Our newest accomplishment was that fresh RI lettuce (first time ever in a school!) went to Central Falls schools, again from Ferolbink Farm, and a story plus photos appeared in the Pawtucket Times and the Providence Journal. Aramark's Tom Hoagland loved the lettuce and found the price to be good, so wants to explore a possible "growing arrangement" for the 7 districts they manage. Also, for the first time, fresh RI strawberries were sold to the Summer Food Service Programs in West Warwick and Newport. The strawberries came from Quonsett View Farm. The Summer Food Service Program is another federally supported meals program for low income children, served in parks & recreation sites across the state. Many of them are run by the same Food Service Management Companies who are making local purchases for schools. For the most part, the lunches are bagged and delivered in coolers and by federal regulation, two fruits and/or vegetables MUST be served to the children. Therefore, if we can link these programs to single-serve raw fruits and veggies that can be cupped or provided whole, then we can facilitate more sales to that program. In July, we tested sugar snap peas with children in a Providence site and RI Monthly was there to take a few photos for the magazine's October edition. (The publicity is so important as it drives community members and leaders to DEMAND Rhode Island grown for their towns' children.)
This summer, we continued to build the Farm to School momentum for schools' September opening. We arranged tours of farms with ARAMARK and Sodexo representatives, as well met with Chartwells representatives and their produce distributor. We are continuing to work closely with every school district and their produce distributors so that RI-grown products get into the distribution channels to the schools and can be enjoyed by our RI students in their school meals programs. ARAMARK has already scheduled its first of several Fall 2008 Harvest Festivals on September 17th for its seven school districts.
And finally, we took all of the suggestions that were brought forth at an Spring RI Farm to School meeting and developed a two-year plan for RI Farm to School for 2009-2010. Kids First has written and submitted over one dozen grant applications to get this plan funded. The 2-year plan includes lots more opportunities for classroom education, training and chef demos with food service, communications work, Farm to School bus tours with school personnel and parents, as well continuing to help get RI food service better connected with RI farmers for the development of more long-term "growing relationships", not just purchasing relationships.
So… please give us your input and ideas via e-mail or by telephone. Kimberly Sporkmann from Kids First is providing the Farm to School Project coordination and is available to assist wherever needed. I am also available. You can reach either of us by calling Kids First at 751-4503. You can e-mail Kimberly at kimberlysporkmann@gmail.com or me at: dbrayley@kidsfirstri.org. Contact us! Any ideas or thoughts you have, we'd like to put them in action!
Kids
First Continues to Provide:
Support & Technical Assistance to RI School/District Wellness Committees
We have committed two staff members (and more, as needed!) to supporting
the work of the RI School and District Wellness Committees. Per State
Law passed in 2005, every RI school district is required to have formed
a Wellness Subcommittee of School Committee that is chaired or co-chaired
by a member of the school committee. The Subcommittee's responsibilities
include the following:
- Development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation/improvement of district nutrition and physical activity POLICIES
AND
- Development of recommendations (annually) for Wellness (Nutrition & Physical Activity) components of the District's Strategic Plans.
Karin Wetherill and Carole Toselli are the Kids First staff members who are leading this effort and are available to help your district's or school's wellness committee. Karin and Carole can help your committee with whatever assistance it needs. They can:
- Help your committee access lots of great resources
- Share what is working in other districts
- Facilitate your meetings to help keep things moving along
- Seek the answers to your questions
- Help you schedule educational programs for staff, parents and other community members
- Simply listen and provide feedback
And more! Contact Karin at 401-246-2666 to begin getting some assistance for your Wellness Committee.
