“Folks need to recognize that public money should serve the public good. [Good food purchasing] can create change in the economic structure of the food system.”
"The best part about selling local foods to Texas schools is the partnerships and the community that it brings about, shared The Common Market Texas executive director Margaret Smith. "People light up when they receive a delivery of farm fresh local produce that is grown with integrity — the quality and flavor is bursting, and you can really tell that the family farmer worked hard to bring that food to your community."
"Before the pandemic, the organization had created a food distribution network that included things like trucks and warehouses as well as strong relationships with food producers. So when the pandemic struck and the food chain was disrupted, the nonprofit was well-positioned to pivot toward meeting urgent hunger needs."
"But The Common Market’s approach is anything but typical, connecting urban communities with family farms and sourcing food from small and local producers. The Common Market (which co-author Haile Johnston co-founded) is democratizing food access and creating a thriving market for locally grown and produced foods, which too often are shut out of procurement processes."
"Core partners in this effort include the Camden City School District, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, The Common Market, Food Bank of South Jersey, FoodCorps, National Farm to School Network, Wellness in the Schools, Aramark and New Jersey American Water. These organizations, several of whom have been longstanding partners, will support nutrition education and training for students and staff, procurement of fresh, local foods and measurement for the program."
"Relying on local supply chains to support emergency feeding programs presents an opportunity to center quality, cultural relevance, and nutrition — facets not often associated with emergency feeding responses," said Haile Johnston, co-founder of The Common Market, a nonprofit regional food distributor responsible for delivering nearly 1 million local food boxes to communities across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions in response to COVID-19 last year. "Offering fresh, nutrient-dense, and culturally appropriate foods is critical to an equitable emergency response effort, providing stability and dignity for recipients during a time of great uncertainty and loss."
The Common Market engaged schools and their food service teams in a fun, informational 30-minute webinar in preparation for Farm to School Month this October! We explore ways to introduce students to the stories and farmers behind their food, and much more! This webinar is intended for food service directors, nutrition teams and anyone within the school community that takes interest in farm to school initiatives! The Common Market actively partners with school communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Texas, and Great Lakes regions.
"Sustainable Food Center is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a Farm to School Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Together with our partners, the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Farm Fresh Initiative, The Common Market Texas, and the City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability, we will increase the amount of fresh, healthy, local food available in Central Texas schools."
"The group now wants to advocate for new policies to make the food in government programs more nutritious and higher quality. It sees policy as a powerful tool to boost the amount of local produce in school lunches and other government programs — and it’s optimistic about what’s ahead."
"The Biden USDA has a tremendous opportunity to respond to crisis by building a fair, equitable, and sustainable food system. This ambition requires the USDA to understand the harm of prioritizing the lowest bidder over larger societal goals. 'Ultimately, if low price is the basis from which the food system operates, you undercut the economy’s resilience.'"
Our friendly and educated team is here to partner with you every step of the way. Connect today to learn of all the ways to partner with The Common Market.
"Being able to connect to a distributor and an organizer like The Common Market - that allows us to reach a local food producing community in a major way - is for us, a dream come true."
— Lucy Kerman, Ph.D., Vice Provost, University and Community Partnerships, Drexel University