"The farm to school pilot’s goal is to provide these school districts with additional incentives, to dream with them about what that will look like, and what products they always wished they could source on their school meal lines, but maybe couldn’t afford to do, Rachel Terry said."
"Bridgeton Public Schools in Bridgeton, N.J., has partnered with The Common Market, a nonprofit food distributor, for a pilot program that brings locally sourced food to students."
"The program established in both districts uses a funding mechanism that eases budgetary restrictions placed on schools, therefore they can purchase locally grown foods with greater nutritional values more easily. While students benefit from filling themselves with nutritious meals, Garden State food suppliers rack up purchases, therefore the program helps improve local economies and business at small, family owned farms, the The Common Market said."
“The district receives weekly deliveries of farm-fresh, New Jersey-sourced fruits and vegetables as a part of a new farm-to-school pilot program that incentivizes the purchases of local foods from family farms,” according to a press release from The Common Market. “The pilot kicked off last month and will run through July."
"That is the motivation behind a pilot launched in March in Bridgeton and Camden by The Common Market, a nonprofit local distributor, to infuse locally grown fruit and vegetables and products into the lunch menu. The Common Market hopes to support diverse farmers in the state."
"The program has helped 25 small, organic farmers preserve and cultivate 355 acres of farmland around Atlanta, launching new generations of growers and a healthy locally produced food scene. Could Philly be next?"
"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."
COVID-19 has increased childhood food insecurity rates. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaborated with Food Connect and The Common Market to deliver produce boxes to food-insecure families. Food Connect leveraged technology to use texting, scale delivery integrations, and optimize routing to deliver 95,000 pounds of food over a 16-week period. COVID-19 has increased childhood food insecurity rates. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia collaborated with Food Connect and The Common Market to deliver produce boxes to food-insecure families. Food Connect leveraged technology to use texting, scale delivery integrations, and optimize routing to deliver 95,000 pounds of food over a 16-week period.
"Bridgeton Public Schools are also working to increase local partnerships. This work is a continuation of a project that has been underway since the implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision – a program that allows schools to feed all students breakfast and lunch for free – in 2017. The county currently works with local producers The Common Market and Seashore Fruit & Produce. “[We] pride ourselves on being a nutrition hub for our students,” says Warren DeShields, Director of Food Services at Bridgeton Public Schools.
“Thanks to the partnership with The Common Market, along with other wholesalers, the City of Baltimore is now supplying 95 sites with 20,000 boxes of perishable food per week, totaling over 9.2 million pounds of food over the course of the pandemic,” says Holly Freishtat, Baltimore City Food Policy Director.
"What I most appreciate is the consistency of the produce. I have yet to experience wilted lettuce or incorrect sizing of products and this is something difficult to find with the “big box” companies. I also appreciate Common Market's passion for developing relationships between the farmers and the chefs."
— Mike Bacha, Executive Chef, Emory University Hospital