Urban School Food Alliance

📢 The Urban School Food Alliance is featured in the 2024 Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA) Annual Nonprofit Photo Contest and your vote can help us win prizes and publicity! Vote for our submission before November 22 at 5pm to support our work and create a better food system: https://bit.ly/40MXCTs

In 2022, the Urban School Food Alliance joined Cafeteria Culture in hosting the first ever #PlasticFreeLunch Day, a student-led, nationwide initiative to reduce plastic foodware and packaging in school cafeterias. #PFLD2024 returns November 18 - 22 for a week of environmental action! 💚🙌 Visit plasticfreelunch.org for more information, promotion ideas, and free resources for educators, students and #SchoolFood service teams!

Over the past six years, Urban School Food Alliance member NYC Department of Education has made tremendous progress in advancing healthy, delicious, and sustainable school food! Chris Tricarico, the Senior Executive Director at the Office of Food and Nutrition Services, shared his insights on this journey in amNewYork: https://bit.ly/3Z4IgIM

At the recent membership meeting, the Urban School Food Alliance celebrated outstanding members, leaders, and industry partners. Michael Rosenberger (Dallas Independent School District) and Stephen O'Brien (NYC Department of Education) were recognized for their contributions as members and officers on the board of directors. Both retired from their districts this fall. Thank you for your outstanding leadership and dedication!

ICYMI: The Urban School Food Alliance is honored to be recognized by ASAE's Power of Associations Awards. This prestigious award embraces the value #SchoolFood programs play, not only in a child's daily academic success, but in the community as a whole. Thank you, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership!

The Urban School Food Alliance is honored to be one of the 12 recipients of the Newman's Own Foundation 2024 #FoodJustice for Kids Prize. School meals are a critical source of nutrition for millions of children and a critical part of our food system and communities! With this funding, we look forward to enabling even more fresh, local food to be served in schools. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3NC14bD

ICYMI: USDA Southwest Region Child Nutrition Director Eddie Longoria and Management Analyst Melissa Campbell visited member NEISD during #NSLW24 to serve lunch and speak with students about their nutritious meals. Thank you, Eddie and Melissa! 📸: USDA Nutrition

The Urban School Food Alliance is grateful for the support from Newman's Own Foundation! Through this grant, we look forward to building and strengthening relationships between local producers and school nutrition programs nationwide. Hear more about this exciting new partnership from Dr. Katie Wilson via NBC Washington: https://bit.ly/3NC14bD

Our members were busy last week with #NSLW24 celebrations! 🎉 Baltimore City Public Schools hosted live-streamed, interactive tour of the district's Great Kids Farm for a behind-the-scenes look at our food system. More than 900 students from schools around the world (including 200+ from City Schools!) tuned in. You can watch the recording to experience the farm for yourself or share with your students!

Happy National School Lunch Week! School lunch is a critical part of the school day and provides students the nutritional foundation they need to succeed in the classroom and build healthy habits for life. Follow along with the Urban School Food Alliance this week for more #NSLW24 content and see how the 4.3 million #SchoolLunchPirates in our member districts are celebrating! Austin Independent School District Baltimore City Public Schools Boston Public Schools Broward County Public Schools Chicago Public Schools Dallas Independent School District Fairfax County Public Schools Gwinnett County Public Schools Los Angeles Unified School District Memphis-Shelby County Schools Miami-Dade County Public Schools NYC Department of Education NEISD Orange County Public Schools The School District of Palm Beach County The School District of Philadelphia Portland Public Schools San Diego Unified School District Seattle Public Schools