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Building partnerships
A first step in the Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch project has been to
build respectful and working relationships between our core staff,
advisory committee, and volunteers with Madison school district administrators,
teachers, and food service personnel, as well as area food producers
and interested members of the community. By learning with and from
each other, project participants can begin the work of problem-solving
and implementation. Some of the area groups currently involved in this
evolving endeavor include:
Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) Food Service
The Eatery is the school district's central food facility, responsible
for providing 18,000 meals per day to Madison students through the
National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. It
is a highly efficient and hardworking operation. For any school food
service, participating in a farm-to-school initiative indicates a
firm commitment to excellence. The MMSD Food Service Director and
staff deserve our gratitude for embarking on this collaborative project.
Let them know you appreciate and support their involvement!
The pilot
schools
Working closely with the staff and students at three Madison elementary
schools provides Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch the opportunities to develop
meaningful educational programs while allowing the Food Service a
venue for alternative menu testing. Each school has formed its own "farm-to-school" committee
comprised of teachers, staff, and parents. Working with the staff
of WHL, these committees are guiding the programs at their schools
to best serve their individual school needs. The lessons learned
in this pilot phase will form the model as we are able to expand
to district-wide offerings (and beyond!)
The three pilot
schools are Lincoln, Shorewood Hills, and Chavez Elementary Schools.
In
2004-5 we will begin work in our first Middle pilot school, Blackhawk. Local
farm and business connections
Farmers, and producers, and processors of diverse products throughout
the region are a vital component of any farm-to-school program. For
Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch, we turn to these experts on the "supply
side" of course for their products, but also for their expertise,
guidance, and entrepreneurial spirit to create this new paradigm.
We continue to cultivate relationships with potential suppliers,
processors, educators, nutritionists, culinary arts specialists,
and government officials who are willing to be involved in creating
real systemic change.
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Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch