Blog
5 Moms Revolutionizing School Food
Janelle Sorensen
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Like many parents discouraged with the food served at schools, I pack lunches for my kids. But, many parents are seeing an increasing need to not only feed their children better, but to also teach them more about food and nutrition. And not just at home – they’re taking it to their children’s schools. Read on to learn about five moms leading the revolution – hopefully it inspires you to do something, too.
Revolution Foods and KIWI Magazine just announced the winners of their Moms of the Revolution contest, a joint effort celebrating moms who have taken action to revolutionize the way kids in their communities eat.
Amie Hamlin of Ithaca, NY, chosen as the grand prize winner and recipient of the contest’s $3,000 award, was recognized for her extraordinary efforts as Executive Director of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, which seeks to create health-literate students, comprehensive nutrition policy, and bring healthy, plant-based entrees to students in schools across the state of New York.
The four remaining winners included: Liz Snyder of Sunnyvale, CA, who built a sustainable, educational farm on a local middle school campus; Cynthia Walters of Powell, OH, who installed a two-acre organic garden and oversaw the formation of a comprehensive wellness team at the middle school where she teaches art; Dawn Gullusci of Bethel, CT, who created an after-school cooking class to teach kids how to prepare healthier foods from scratch; and Dawn Walker of Stevenson Ranch, CA, who opened and taught 7th graders how to run a healthy school “snack shack.”
All five winners received a year’s supply of organic lunchbox snacks from Revolution Foods, and will be featured in KIWI Magazine’s September/October issue. Learn more about the winners and other inspiring moms!
Interested in getting started with your own revolution? Here are some resources to help you out.
* The Edible School Yard
* Center for EcoLiteracy’s Rethinking School Lunch Guide
* Citizens for Healthy Options in Children’s Education (campaign to provide more plant-based options in school cafeterias)
* National Farm-to-School Program
* Center for Science in the Public Interest's School Foods Tool Kit: A Guide to Improving School Foods and Beverages
