What is the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP?
The Three C’s of Breakfast in the Classroom
Out of all the areas of FoodCorps service, serving in cafeterias and promoting healthy school meals has always been my favorite. Maybe it’s because, in accordance with the unspoken prerequisite of being a FoodCorps service member, I love food and will sprint at any opportunity to surround myself with as much of it as possible.
Meet this year’s Alumni Council
Each year we invite new members to join our Alumni Council to bring fresh perspectives and passions to the group. They are here to support all alumni in launching initiatives they’d like to start, in lifting their voices to FoodCorps’ National team, and in advancing their career goals post-FoodCorps. Meet the Council members below and … Continued
5 Years as a FoodCorps Alum: in 5 Photos
My name is Rachel Spencer, and I’m honored receive the inaugural FoodCorps Alumni Service Leadership Award. I currently work for the USDA in our Office of Community Food Systems farm to school team, where I help child nutrition program operators incorporate local foods in the National School Lunch Program and other federal nutrition programs.
Growing Plants to Eat on the Tohono O’odham Nation
My name is Jerome Marquez, and I live on the Tohono O’odham Nation and am indigenous to southern Arizona. I am a FoodCorps service member with the Native American Advancement Foundation (NAAF) and serve the students in my community at the San Simon School on the Tohono O’odham Nation. My service supports the very large … Continued
4 Ways to Bring FoodCorps Service Home
After years of being a student and resident advisor in college experiencing constant streams of homework, never-ending deadlines, and literally living where I worked, I promised myself I would find a job that I didn’t have to take home with me. Ironically, I now serve at Philip’s Academy Charter School, a Farm to School focused … Continued
#TryThings: Happily Outside of the School Food Comfort Zone
“Nikki is a picky eater. I can’t get her to eat many things, especially healthy food,” Nikki’s mom explained to me. For a long time, I would have agreed to this assessment as I had experienced Nikki’s obstinance during class for months. She refused to try any fruits or other new dishes we made together … Continued
6 Signs of Spring in Schools
As the weather warms up, kids are beginning to get out and garden even in parts of the country not fortunate enough to have a year-round growing season. Here are hints of a healthy school food environment that you might spot at a FoodCorps school near you. 1. Seeds & seedlings The first signs of … Continued
FoodCorps Deep in the Heart of Apache Land
I remember the first day of FoodCorps Orientation, I was asked by everyone I spoke with how I felt about where I’d be serving. This question was very simple for me because my service site is located in my home community of Dishchii’bikoh (Cibecue). Dishchii’bikoh translated in English means the Valley of the Red Mountains, … Continued
New Year, New Traditions
This February, Pueblo Gardens K-8 in South Tucson was proud to serve student-harvested school garden produce on the cafeteria lunch line for the very first time. With spring planting just around the corner and the school garden full of winter greens, I knew something drastic needed to be done. As the FoodCorps service member at … Continued
An Interview with STAR School’s Wellness Wonder Woman: Louva Montour
Louva Montour began volunteering at STAR (Service To All Relations) Charter School in 2001. Later, she would become the school’s chef, the home-ec instructor, and a founding member of the STAR Wellness Committee. Since the start of my service at STAR I’ve been fortunate to work closely with Louva, assisting in her home-ec classes where … Continued