CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY
Programs
Program 1 [2020]
THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY BUILDS PARTNERSHIPS AND THE CAPACITY OF K-12 SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES BY ADVANCING ECOLOGICAL LITERACY AND FOOD SYSTEMS CHANGE. IN 2020, WE ADVANCED STRATEGIC GOALS FOR THE CALIFORNIA FOOD FOR CALIFORNIA KIDS INITIATIVE WHILE ADAPTING OUR APPROACH IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THE NEEDS OF THE PARTNERS AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR RESPONSE INCLUDE DEVELOPING A SERIES OF COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE VIDEO CALLS TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE, ENGAGING HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS MONTHLY FROM 42 STATES; HELPING TO SECURE $202 MILLION FOR SCHOOL FOOD IN THE CALIFORNIA BUDGET; AND CONTINUING TO PROVIDE VITAL RESOURCES AND TRAINING ON FARM TO SCHOOL.THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, RESULTING JOB LOSSES, RECESSION, AND HISTORIC WILDFIRES CHALLENGED CALIFORNIA'S COMMUNITIES THIS YEAR. THESE DISASTERS ALSO THREATENED DECADES OF FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRESS IN SERVING FRESH, LOCAL SCHOOL MEALS AND TEACHING FOOD LITERACY. THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY RESPONDED BY EXPANDING OUR SYSTEM OF SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES, PROVIDING LEADERSHIP, RESOURCES, AND CRITICAL TECHNICAL EXPERTISE. WE PROVIDED A SERIES OF COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE CALLS ON EMERGENCY SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE, CO-HOSTED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT LUNCHASSIST. WE REACHED 881 UNIQUE PARTICIPANTS FROM 553 ORGANIZATIONS IN 42 STATES, INCLUDING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES FROM 16 STATES THAT REPRESENT MILLIONS OF STUDENTS. OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS AUGMENTED BY A TASK FORCE OF 10 SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE LEADERS WHO INFORMED OUR DEVELOPMENT OF TIMELY PUBLICATIONS ON COVID-19 SCHOOL FOOD SAFETY, RETURN TO SCHOOL PLANNING, AND MENU PLANNING.DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY PIVOTED OUR ADVOCACY AND POLICY EFFORTS TO RESPOND TO THE CRITICAL EMERGING NEEDS OF DISTRICTS, LEVERAGING THE POWER OF OUR NETWORK TO DELIVER IMPORTANT DATA ON SCHOOL MEALS TO LAWMAKERS. TOGETHER WITH A COALITION OF ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND CLOSE PARTNERS, OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF $202 MILLION FOR SCHOOL FOOD IN THE CALIFORNIA STATE BUDGET. THIS FUNDING INCLUDED $192 MILLION FOR EMERGENCY SCHOOL FOOD AND $10 MILLION FOR A FARM TO SCHOOL INCUBATOR GRANT PROGRAM AND THE OFFICE OF FARM TO FORK.THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY DEVELOPED A ROBUST SET OF FARM TO SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, EXTENDING CONTENT FOR DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. WE CONVENED A FOCUS GROUP WITH EDUCATION ADVISORS REPRESENTING CLASSROOM, GARDEN, AND AFTERSCHOOL TO GUIDE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT ON A COLLECTION OF FOOD SYSTEMS LESSONS AS PART OF OUR USDA FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROJECT THAT FOCUSES ON HOW FARMERS ARE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE STATE. WE CO-DESIGNED AND CO-FACILITATED THE FOOD SYSTEMS UNIT AT THE SAN MATEO COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION'S SUMMER INSTITUTE, A WEEK-LONG VIRTUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY FELLOWS THAT FEATURED OUR EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES. TO MEET THE NEW CHALLENGES OF ENGAGING STUDENTS DURING DISTANCE LEARNING AND TO PROVIDE NUTRITION EDUCATION TO PARTICIPANTS IN CERTAIN MEAL PROGRAMS, WE PUBLISHED FRUIT AND VEGETABLE COLORING PAGES THAT CAN BE SENT HOME WITH GRAB-AND-GO MEALS. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE OFFICE OF KAT TAYLOR, WE DEVELOPED A NUTRITION EDUCATION BROCHURE FOR THE GROWING THE TABLE INITIATIVE, FEATURING CULINARY TECHNIQUES FOR PREPARING FRESH VEGETABLES IN HOME KITCHENS. THESE BROCHURES WILL REACH 10,000 FAMILIES AS PART OF FOOD BOXES THAT THEY RECEIVE AS PART OF THE INITIATIVE.THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY SERVES AS AN ANCHOR TENANT AT THE DAVID BROWER CENTER, A HOME FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ACTION AND ONE OF THE BAY AREA'S MOST ADVANCED GREEN BUILDINGS. BEING LOCATED AT THE DAVID BROWER CENTER ENABLES US TO EXPAND OUR SERVICES WHILE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION WITH DOZENS OF OTHER LEADING NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.4MCalifornia Food for California Kids Initiative
THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY ADVANCES CHANGE IN TK-12 EDUCATION AND SCHOOL FOOD SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND THE PEOPLE WHO NOURISH THEM. WE CREATE ORIGINAL RESOURCES, COLLABORATE ON ADVOCACY, AND CULTIVATE A GROWING NETWORK OF LEADERS IN OUR CALIFORNIA FOOD FOR CALIFORNIA KIDS INITIATIVE. IN 2023, WE RECOGNIZED SCHOOL NUTRITION LEADERS WITH OUR BIANNUAL LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION AWARDS, SECURED STATE INVESTMENTS TO PROVIDE ALL STUDENTS WITH MORE FRESHLY-PREPARED AND LOCALLY-SOURCED MEALS, PUBLISHED A CULTURALLY RELEVANT FARM TO SCHOOL FRAMEWORK, SUPPORTED EDUCATORS WITH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND AMPLIFIED STUDENT VOICES. SEE SCHEDULE O - CONTINUATIONSCHOOL FOOD SYSTEMS CHANGE: THE CENTER FOR ECOLITERACY SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH FRESHLY-PREPARED, LOCALLY-SOURCED SCHOOL MEALS AND EXPERIENCES THAT CONNECT THE CLASSROOM, CAFETERIA, AND GARDEN. WE PROVIDE AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, AND INSPIRATION FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, AND SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. IN 2023, OUR CALIFORNIA FOOD FOR CALIFORNIA KIDS NETWORK GREW TO 121 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE, REACHING MORE THAN TWO MILLION STUDENTS AND IMPACTING MORE THAN A THIRD OF THE STATE'S SCHOOL MEALS SERVED ANNUALLY.ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION: WE EMPOWER EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS ON THE FOOD SYSTEM AND SUSTAINABILITY. IN 2023, WE REACHED 150 EDUCATORS ACROSS THE US THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL "EATING, LEARNING, GROWING" WORKSHOPS ON CULTURALLY RELEVANT FARM TO SCHOOL EDUCATION. OUR NEW EATING LEARNING GROWING RESOURCES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP EDUCATORS EXTEND, ENHANCE, AND ENRICH FARM TO SCHOOL LESSONS TO BE MORE CULTURALLY RELEVANT AND ENGAGING FOR THE UNIQUE STUDENTS IN EACH LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.POLICY AND ADVOCACY: WE ADVANCE POLICY SOLUTIONS, STEWARD SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION AT SCHOOLS, AND ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEMS THAT CULTIVATE SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL COALITION, OUR ADVOCACY IN 2023 LED TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAMS AND PROTECTED THE CDFA FARM TO SCHOOL INCUBATOR GRANT PROGRAM. WE ARE PROUD TO SEE CALIFORNIA'S CONTINUED LEADERSHIP ON SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL AND COMPLEMENTARY INVESTMENTS TO SERVE MORE FRESHLY-PREPARED AND LOCALLY-SOURCED MEALS TO STUDENTS. IN THE 2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE STATE'S UNIVERSAL MEALS PROGRAM, CALIFORNIA OUTPACED OTHER STATES' DECLINING PARTICIPATION BY SERVING 826 MILLION MEALS - TWO MILLION MORE THAN IN THE LAST PRE-PANDEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJan 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2023Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.7M
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