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Fresh & Local in Philly Schools: Growing, Cooking, Buying, & Learning Through Collaboration
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Who: It all begins with people
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
The School District of Philadelphia
The High School of the Future
Fair Food
The Food Trust
Common Market
Why: Farm to School in Philly
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Better question: Why not?
Philadelphia: Over 50% below at or below poverty line
Youth: Over 76% of about 163,000 students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals; over 2/3 of all youth overweight or obese
Agricultural landscape: Highly diversified, small, mid-sized and larger farms in Southern NJ and Southeastern PA
Timing: Local food system in Philadelphia strong, growing, infrastructure gaining capacity; good political timing
Why: Farm to School in Philly
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
School District of Philadelphia Snapshot: • 163,064 students • 312 schools
Nutrition services: • 117,000 lunches daily • 52,000 breakfasts daily • 4,200 after-school snacks daily • 76% qualify for free or reduced lunch
How: Meeting of the Minds
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
The beginnings of collaboration….
Fair Food, The Food Trust, and a willing funder
Common Market: on the road to institutional sales
Creating a common vision with the School District: to introduce fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables into school meals to better serve our youth and our agricultural economy.
How: The Right Source for Local
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Why Common Market?
A consolidator and distributor of *ALL* local produce in Philadelphia
Sources farms from Southeastern PA & Southern NJ
Mission-based non-profit business model to serve ALL communities of Philadelphia
Experience with institutional buyers!
How: Early Steps, Getting Ready
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Timeline: Brainstorming: Winter 2007-2008 Consensus: Spring 2008 Farm Tours: Summer 2008 Planning & contracting: Fall-Winter 2008 RFP for Local: April 2009 “Early” kick-off: May 2009 Full kick-off: September 2009
Decisions: Contracting & Schools
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
How many schools? In what part of the city? Things to consider:
Logistics: Could supplier handle 20 schools? Should the pilot start smaller since it was such a new idea? Could the district afford it?
Five high schools selected– all with full-service kitchen with 3 located in West Philadelphia, and 2 located in North Philadelphia
Decisions: Pricing, Relationships, and Building in Local Food
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Five schools: University City High School The High School of the Future Overbrook High School Central High School Girls High School
Each school with its individual culture, strengths, challenges and approaches to food service
Common Challenge: Budget! Each school has over 80% free and reduced-priced lunch participants; the need was there, the reimbursement challenges were the same.
Partnership: Program Support
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Basics:
• Local Foods 101 Training
• Knife skills and winter vegetable training
• Ordering & logistics
• Communications
• Equipment
Partnership: Growing the Program
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Additional Tools & Resources:
• Recipe binders
• POS cards
• E-newsletters
• Visits, troubleshooting
• CM communications, sales tracking
Marketing materials
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Farm to school point of sale cards to highlight local products on the line
Posters for farm to school network; 5 posters with seasonal fruits and vegetables local to our region; to be debuted September 2010
Challenges
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Minimum orders & efficiencies
How to use those tough winter veggies
How to get the kids to try new things
Familiarity with products, prep and applications
Long-term sustainability
Successes
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Trainings
Equipment needs assessment & procurement
Commitment for pilot project expansion
By year’s end, about $15,000 local produce purchased
Merging of initiatives like UNI, PUFFA, and Farm to School
Best Practices
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Communication!!
Recipes
Hands-on trainings
Never underestimate the managers and cooks in those kitchens!
Celebrating the small successes
Future: 20 schools & other partners
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Program Expansion for 2010-2011 School Year:
For food service: trainings, equipment, farm tours
For students: messaging, marketing via print, electronic, and social media
For parents: engagement around food in the school community
For growers and local businesses: connections and explorations around more local fresh cut & frozen products
For everyone: advocacy around policy for sustained change
Thank you
Fair Food is dedicated to bringing local food to the marketplace, and promoting a humane sustainable agriculture system for our region. www.fairfoodphilly.org
Contact: Deb Bentzel Farm to Institution Program Manager Fair Food [email protected] 215-386-5211 x 102