Schools are some of the largest purchasers of food within a community. When schools begin to procure fresh produce from local farms, they are able to boost the local economy, reduce their environmental impact, and put more healthy fruit and vegetables in front of children. The Chef Ann Foundation's Farm to School recipes are a bridge to building relationships between schools and local farmers and suppliers, and Jack Johnson wants to help us develop them.
Feeding children in schools is a massive undertaking. More than 30 million school lunches are served each day across the country, and most school districts do not have the capacity to create their own healthy recipes. Chef Ann Foundation develops the recipes they need to meet the USDA requirements while also offering specific farm-to-school options to help make the connection to local food.
The funding from this project will be matched 100% by Jack Johnson's Ohana Foundation. These funds will be used to create Farm to School recipes that are accessible to school food service teams across the country. The goal is to provide tools and resources for school districts to recognize the viability of serving the healthiest possible food to our children and,promote lifelong wellness, while supporting local farmers.
When schools are able to work with local farmers to procure fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables, the entire community wins. Students are getting the nutrients they need to thrive in and out of the classroom; local economies are strengthened by increased consumption within the community; and reducing shipping distance benefits the environment as a whole.
