One Tray symbolizes the health of our children, the state of our food system, and the potential in providing every child the opportunity to succeed. One tray equals our future. Every four or five years, an opportunity arises for all concerned with the health of our nation’s children to evaluate, defend, and improve federal Child Nutrition programs. Three national organizations have joined forces to advocate for more healthful, more sustainably produced and regionally sourced school food that can improve the health of kids, develop new marketing opportunities for farmers, and support the local economy. The time is now to nourish the nation one tray at a time.
The National Farm to School Network
The National Farm to School Network improves student health by reducing childhood obesity, supports community-based food systems, and strengthens family farms. The Network is a collaborative effort of the Center for Food & Justice, Occidental College, and the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC). With funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Network coordinates, promotes, and expands the farm to school movement at the state, regional, and national levels. Eight regional lead agencies and national staff provide free training and technical assistance, information services, networking, and support for policy, media, and marketing activities. www.farmtoschool.org
The Community Food Security Coalition
The Community Food Security Coalition is a North American organization of 260 member groups that concentrate on social and economic justice, environmental, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community development, labor, and anti-hunger issues and that together are dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems. CFSC works to ensure that all people have access at all times to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food. CFSC encourages communities to become self-reliant in obtaining their food and to create a system of growing, manufacturing, processing, and distributing food that is sustainable, just, healthy, and democratic. The coalition offers a blend of comprehensive training, networking, and advocacy strategies to further the efforts of grassroots groups to create effective solutions from the ground up. www.foodsecurity.org
School Food FOCUS
School Food FOCUS is a national initiative that helps urban school districts with 40,000 or more students serve more healthful, more sustainably produced and regionally sourced food so that children may perform better in school and be healthier in life. Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and launched in late 2008, FOCUS works with school food service directors and other stakeholders to collect, analyze, and use food system data and peer-tested research to spur change in procurement methods. FOCUS supports a network of experts who are engaging over 20 big-city school districts in systems change and also facilitates the sharing of best practices and lessons learned. www.schoolfoodfocus.org