The Consolidated School District of New Britain (CSDNB) is comprised of 16 schools and serves over 10,000 students. The vision of the Consolidated School District of New Britain is to pursue excellence one student at a time. The mission of the Consolidated School District of New Britain is as follows: In partnership with family and community, the Consolidated School District of New Britain works to provide the best personalized and comprehensive whole-child education so our students will be prepared for, and positively contribute to, a profoundly different future. The Consolidated School District of New Britain serves over 10,000 students in 16 schools across the city. Due to the high population of students living under the poverty line, The Consolidated School District of New Britain participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, and all students have access to free school breakfast and lunch. The City of New Britain is a small city with a diverse population of 73,000 residents. The median household income is about $45,000 and 22% of the population lives below the poverty line. Stanley Works, the maker of Stanley tools (now Stanley-Black and Decker), originated in New Britain coining the nickname “Hardware City. The city is also known for the nationally recognized New Britain Museum of American Art. Central Connecticut State University is also located in New Britain, providing various learning opportunities and community programs that engage people of all ages.

The service member at CSDNB will be deeply embedded in the food services operation of the school district. In partnership with Whitson’s Food Service Management Company, and the district’s nutrition consultant, the member will work to gather feedback on the school meals program at CSDNB. They will implement tastings to promote new items in coordination with the CSDNB Wellness Committee’s projects around the school meal program. Finally, from time to time will also be engaged in community events through the strong partnership that The Consolidated School District of New Britain has with member organizations of The Coalition for New Britain’s Youth, including New Britain ROOTS (a former FoodCorps service site dedicated to increasing food access and food education around the city).

FoodCorps service members at this site are part of a Connecticut cohort. With the small geography of the state, members can frequently collaborate in person. These service members are creating powerful relationships with the wide variety of organizations and individuals that make up the networks addressing food systems change across the state and region. Serving in Connecticut means you are part of a close-knit FoodCorps team, enjoy ample opportunity for a wide range of professional development, and have the chance to make a huge impact in the state with the second-highest income disparity in the nation. The FoodCorps CT cohort is part of a much larger network of organizations and agencies dedicated to farm-to-school work, including, but not limited to: the University of Connecticut, CT State Department of Education, CT Department of Agriculture, CT Department of Public Health, Common Ground, CT Farm to School Collaborative, Keney Park Sustainability Project, Brigaid, New England Dairy, and New Britain ROOTS.