Model and Strategy
Students need healthy food to reach their potential. But with inadequate budgets and a food system that prioritizes low-cost, empty calories, often at the expense of workers, farmers and the environment, school districts have been challenged to serve healthy food to students.
For this project, the Center for Good Food Purchasing will use its proven healthy food procurement model, the Good Food Purchasing Program, to leverage over $20 million of food purchased by Bay Area school districts to increase access to healthier meals for more than 200,000 students. With partners, the Center will engage community members, local leaders, students, parents, and food service directors in a collaborative initiative combining capacity building, peer learning, and student and community engagement, to give school districts the tools, information and support they need to ensure that food purchases align with community values, and students have access to the healthy food they need to thrive.
Impact
The Center is building the supply of good food by creating large-scale demand for food produced in a way that reflects community values. By leveraging the buying power and accountability of public institutions, we will drive change in the market. We have witnessed suppliers respond.
One major success was the innovation the Program catalyzed in the largest school food distributor in the Western U.S. Following the LA Unified School District’s adoption of the Program, the CEO of the food distributor began to look at his business through a new lens and get creative. In one example, he worked with his bread manufacturer to develop a healthier, more sustainable bread. Together, they developed a whole-wheat bun made from wheat sourced from a cooperative of sustainable, family-owned farms in the Central Valley and milled and baked in LA into 40 million servings of buns for the students. They created 65 regional food chain jobs. They eliminated high fructose corn syrup and reduced sodium. The kids loved the buns and prices stayed the same. The bread products not only make their way onto 650,000 LAUSD students’ plates, but to hundreds of other districts – demonstrating the ripple effects that one district can have.
Imagine the impact if Bay Area school districts, other public institutions and community partners unified around shared values, goals, metrics, and desired products from vendors in the region. As we have witnessed time and again, the market will respond and provide students with nourishing, healthy food produced locally in ways that are sustainable, humane and just.
Leadership
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Alexa Delwiche
Co-Founder & Executive Director
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Colleen McKinney
Associate Director
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Paula Daniels
Co-Founder, Board Chair & Senior Advisor