Changes at FoodCorps

A note from FoodCorps leadership:

Hi, FoodCorps community. 

The past few months have been some of the most challenging in FoodCorps’ history. The government has decimated AmeriCorps, the federal agency that’s long supported our work, and has not renewed its partnership with FoodCorps. As we navigate an unprecedented federal and philanthropic funding climate, we’ve had to cut our budget by $13 million—more than 40%—and prepare FoodCorps to operate outside of the partnership with AmeriCorps that has been in place since our inception. 

In this new federal funding reality, we’ve restructured our program toward impact that’s sustainable and cost-effective, and we are building paths to scale that aren’t dependent on funding from the federal government. Even with an evolving geographic footprint, our mission holds steady: place-based, community-led work in service of child well-being. 

For the coming school year, FoodCorps will partner with schools across eight states, where 50 FoodCorps members (Food Educators and School Nutrition Specialists, who will be FoodCorps employees rather than AmeriCorps members) will bring nourishing food to life for students. 

We are also developing new and updated approaches to impact, by working with people who are embedded in the systems of food and education we seek to change. We’ll be offering professional development support to teachers, so they can integrate food education into their work with students, and growing our work with school nutrition leaders through a 20-person annual fellowship.

And we’ll continue to mobilize our hundreds of thousands of supporters—people like you—for policies that safeguard the health, education, and well-being of every kid in the country. 

This strategic shift is how we’re future-proofing FoodCorps, ensuring we can be resilient with or without AmeriCorps funding. Still, this doesn’t make our losses any easier. Our work will look different in the coming school year, and we know the transition may be bumpy. But FoodCorps has faced hardships before. We’re committed to seeing this one through for the children at the center of our work.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support as we build out new pathways toward a future where kids have the nourishment they need to thrive. Nothing in FoodCorps’ past, present, or future is possible without you. 

With gratitude,
Curt and Rachel  

P.S. There’s never a bad time to donate to FoodCorps, but now is an especially good one. Thank you for standing with us in this critical time.