New Program to Help Schools Purchase Washington-Grown Fruits and Vegetables
Washington State Department of Agriculture awarded The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network $172,000 to help implement its three-year Fresh Food in Schools project. The project will build public awareness and support to increase school district purchasing of Washington’s fruits and vegetables specialty crops.
“We are delighted to be able to work across Washington State to support our farmers feeding our kids! Our Fresh Food in Schools program will help farmers enter the school market and help our kids get better access to Washington grown fruits and vegetables.” says Ellen Gray, Executive Director of The Washington Sustainable Food & Farming Network.
Partners supporting the Fresh Food in Schools project include: the Washington State PTA, the Lutheran Public Policy Office of Washington, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, PCC Natural Markets, the Child Obesity Prevention Coalition and WSDA’s Farm to School program.
The WA Sustainable Food & Farming Network is excited to announce the hiring of three regional coordinators for the Fresh Food in Schools Project. If you are a school district, farm or parent/community group interested in starting or supporting a farm to school program in your area, we can help. Our coordinators will provide free hands-on assistance to help increase your school district’s purchases of Washington grown fruits and vegetables. Twenty school districts across the state will be chosen to participate.
For Western WA contact Rita Ordóñez at 360-336-0932 rordonez@wsffn.org
For Central WA contact Joan Qazi at 509 664-6691 jqazi@wsffn.org
For Eastern WA contact Jennifer Hall at 509 993-1189: jhall@wsffn.org
