Applications Open for Feed My School for a Week

Courtesy Department press office

Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary W. Black announced this month that the Department is now accepting new applications for school districts interested in participating in this year’s Feed My School for a Week program.

Feed My School first launched in 2011 with a goal to help bridge the gap in the nutritional value and quality of food served in Georgia schools, while providing more farm-to-cafeteria opportunities. The end result will be healthier Georgia students, decreased barriers in farm-to-school efforts and increased awareness as students learn and experience, both educationally and nutritionally, where their food comes from. This will be the third year of the program.

“Not only does Feed My School for a Week allow students to learn about where their food comes from, but also how it is grown here in Georgia and the process of how it ends up on your plate,” Black said. “It is about offering fresh, healthy Georgia-grown foods that are locally produced while raising awareness about nutrition.”

In addition to new school systems participating in the program this year, the Department plans to continue working with previous participants for the next three years. During this time, last year’s participating counties will continue building their farm-to-school approaches, illustrating sustainable farm to cafeteria efforts while continuing to identify needs and best practices.

 

Previous schools include Norman Park Elementary in Colquitt County, Wauka Mountain Multiple Intelligences Academy in Hall County, Bleckley County Elementary in Bleckley County, Southside Elementary in Grady County, West Chatham Elementary in Chatham County, Skyview Elementary in Bibb County, Sharon Elementary in Forsyth County and ColbertElementary in Madison County.

Applications will be due on April 3, 2014. If you are interested in nominating your school for the program, please have your nutritional director contact Misty Friedman.