What is the D.C. Farm to School Network?
Download the D.C. Farm to School Network’s brochure.
What is Farm to School?
Farm to School programs connect local farmers with schools to get healthy, local foods into school cafeterias. Farm to School efforts improve health, reconnect students with where food comes from, provide health, food and environmental education opportunities, and support the local food economy. For more information about farm to school programs across the nation, visit www.farmtoschool.org.
Who are we?
The D.C. Farm to School Network is a coalition of hundreds of diverse stakeholders working to incorporate more healthy, local foods and food education into DC schools. Our Network includes teachers, parents, farmers, food service providers, school administrators, environmental organizations, farmers’ market directors, health advocates, community members, and all sorts of people and organiazations that care about the health and well being of the District of Columbia’s kids, our local environment and our local food economy.
What are the benefits of Farm to School? (For more information, download the Bearing Fruit report)
- Gets more unprocessed, local foods into school cafeterias
- Kids eat more healthy foods like fruits and vegetables because they are fresh and taste better
- Increases student alertness, improves student attitudes
- Reduces disparities in access to healthy, local foods
- Engages youth in health, food and environmental issues
- Increases school lunch satisfaction and participation
- Reaches families and communities with messages about healthy eating
- Provides markets for local and family-owned farms
- Preserves local land as open space
- Reduces school food carbon footprints
What is our mission?
To improve the health and well being of schoolchildren in the District of Columbia, and of our local environment and food economy, by increasing access to healthy, local, and sustainable foods in all Washington, D.C. schools.
What is our organizational structure?
Andrea Northup is the Network’s full-time Coordinator. She works out of the Capital Area Food Bank, where the Network is housed in the food bank’s Harvest for Health department. Andrea helps find creative ways to get more healthy, local foods into Washington, DC schools through connecting members of the Network and leveraging our collective strength. She holds degrees in Public Health and Environmental Engineering from Tufts University. In her spare time she loves her backyard garden, playing ultimate frisbee, and cooking delicious food.
Katherine Bryant is the first ever Farm to School intern! She’s from Atlanta, Georgia, and attended Presbyterian College where she got a BA in History and BS in Biology. After spending a year engaged in social justice exposure and teaching, Katherine moved to DC to complete a Masters in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development. Her interests include food security, policy, public health, and education. Katherine loves traveling, reading, running, biking and one day aspires to own her own non-profit bakery.
A core group of dedicated volunteers help with administrative work, event planning, web design, and special projects. The Network also has an Advisory Board of community members representing key stakeholders in the local food economy.
What does the DC Farm to School Network do?
We use our Network to identify creative solutions along the journey from seed to cafeteria tray to make more healthy, local foods available in Washington, DC school cafeterias. Specifically we…
- Educate and spread awareness about farm to school through meetings, conference calls, events, this website, and more
- Provide direct assistance to food service providers interested to serve healthy, local foods by meeting with them and addressing their individual needs
- Forge relationships and establish creative partnerships (for example, facilitates meetings and taste tests with local growers and school food service providers)
- Provide tools, resources, and updates through our e-newsletter, google group, website, events and publications
- Advocate for local and federal policies that support farm to school programs, such as the Healthy Schools Act.
What are our Guiding Principles?
To direct our efforts and clarify our goals, we’ve adopted guiding principles based on similar principles upheld by the National Farm to School Network.
- We support experiential education that complements access to local foods in school cafeterias – such as school gardens, chef demonstrations and farm visits – so that students can form a lasting understanding of, appreciation for, and connection to healthy foods and their origins.
- We encourage Farm to School relationships that provide fair compensation to family or grower owned and operated farms that use sustainable practices.
- We organize around a spirit of collaboration, inclusion and respect, as creating change in the school food system will take a diverse coalition of community partners.
- We encourage healthy eating habits and knowledge among children: this is the first step towards healthier families and communities.
- We support farm to school programs across the entire District of Columbia – in its public, charter and private schools.
- We hope to capitalize on Washington, DC’s unique strengths and provide a model for Farm to School programs across the nation.
How can I get involved?
- Join our e-newsletter and/or discussion group (google group) by filling out THIS form.
- Learn more about farm to school in Washington, DC by exploring this website.
- Volunteer – we have special events throughout the year, and need volunteers to help! When you fill out the e-newsletter form (link above), be sure to indicate that you’d like to volunteer.
- Come to our monthly meetings.
- Forge relationships with other advocates!
Are you a school food service provider or grower or do know of a school that wants to get involved? Or do you have other questions? Contact Andrea Northup with specific questions or requests at andrea(at)dcfarmtoschool (dot)org or (202) 526-5344 x298.
What other organizations are involved?
The following is a collection of organizations, groups, and blogs connected to and supportive of food distribution, the local food movement, and making sure that fresh food is available to everyone.
Local Organizations
Local Blogs
National Organizations
The White House Garden; Photograph by Sarah Bernardi
