For Immediate Release Please

For Immediate Release Please

Date: December 22, 2016

Contact: Regina Grabrovac, Healthy Acadia or 255-3741

School Cafeterias Explore Expanding Local Food Offerings

On November 29 and 30, nine food service staff from seven schools representing over 600 students in three regional school districts gathered at Pembroke and Rose M. Gaffney Elementary Schools for a Local Food Implementation training offered by Chef Ron Adams of Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative. Workshop sessions included, “Nine Steps to Local Implementation,” “Harvest of the Month and Marketing”; “Scratch Cooking: Why and When?” and “Building a Seasoning Kit.” Participants raved about the event.

Funding for this opportunity was made possible by Healthy Acadia's 2015 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Implementation grant. "I have not seen such an informativeand fun training brought to Washington County in my nine years as a farm to school coordinator. We had a great time together,” commented Healthy Acadia Food Programs Manager Regina Grabrovac, who organized the event. “I am so delighted that we were able to provide these resources to our school food service staff, who truly work very hard under challenging conditions and limitations.”

Over the last two years, Healthy Acadia's 2015 USDA grant award also provided funding to convene “School Garden 101” and “Smarter Lunchroom” sessions for regional school staff and faculty; AmeriCorps FoodCorps service member engagement in at least seven schools;a local distribution system that delivered over 6,000 pounds of fresh, locally grown produce from various farms in Washington County and beyond to local schools;one-on-one technical assistance to teachers, cooks and administrators; and mini equipment and farm to school grants to five schools.

With the completion of Healthy Acadia’s 2-year USDA-funded initiative, local foods distribution to schools has now been passed on to Richard East of Growing Concern Farm & Nursery (Calais), who transports fresh foods via refrigerated truck from central Maine on a regularly scheduled route. For more information on how your school or institution can access fresh local foods, contact Richard at 207 214 3215.

###

Photo caption: Food Service staff from three districts and seven schools representing over 600 students gathered at Pembroke and Rose M. Gaffney Elementary Schools for a Local Food Implementation training offered by Chef Ron Adams of Maine Farm and Sea Cooperative. Photo credit: Regina Grabrovac.