Rhode Island Farm to School Collaborative
Kids Win | Farmers Win | Communities Win
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The RI Farm to School Collaborative engages partners across RI to develop, expand, and strengthen local procurement, education, and gardening initiatives to benefit children and youth throughout the state. These initiatives connect local agriculture to healthy eating habits, which improve public health and the local economy, support local farmers and food producers, and build community relationships.
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HISTORY:
In 1999, Dame Farm in Johnston was host to a “Farm Supper & Discussion” where interested school food service directors, farmers, and community advocates came together to figure out how local schools could purchase RI grown apples. This was the humble beginning of RI’s Farm to School program. Over the following decades, the RI Farm to School program has grown with greater amounts and variety of local purchasing, more school garden programs, and more classroom education focused on local food systems. Although the Farm to School program has remained viable and supported by school communities throughout the state, challenges and opportunities still remain.
The Rhode Island Farm to School Collaborative was established in 2019 to unify advocacy, funding and organizational capacities to address these ongoing challenges and opportunities. The Collaborative is represented by lead organizers from the RI Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs, RI Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture, Farm Fresh RI, RI Healthy Schools Coalition, and Green Circle Design/URI School Garden Initiative.
The Rhode Island Farm to School Collaborative was established in 2019 to unify advocacy, funding and organizational capacities to address these ongoing challenges and opportunities. The Collaborative is represented by lead organizers from the RI Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs, RI Department of Environmental Management Division of Agriculture, Farm Fresh RI, RI Healthy Schools Coalition, and Green Circle Design/URI School Garden Initiative.
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Are you interested in the Farm to School movement in Rhode Island and want to learn more or contribute to a specific area/initiative?
We envision a robust and engaged Farm to School community where equity, diversity, and inclusion are prioritized by honoring the lived experiences of the racial, ethnic and cultural communities we serve. We are committed to community driven dialogue, participation, and decision-making to inform and influence the structure and work of the Collaborative. |
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We want to hear your suggestions of how the RI Farm to School Collaborative can best represent and support you and/or your communities and how we can best engage and communicate with you.
We’re also actively recruiting people to get involved with work groups (Procurement, Education/School Gardens, Communication/Engagement, Climate Change, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) where together we can listen, learn, and forge new connections to advance Farm to School policies and activities in every community. For a RI Farm to School Collaborative handout to share, click here. To share your interests and suggestions and to connect with us about the RI Farm to School Collaborative, please complete this brief survey. |