A Hands on Approach to Farm to School 

Photo by Julia Forsyth Sienkiewicz, Courtesy of FoodCorps

We place FoodCorps School Nutrition Support Specialists in Portland, South Portland, and previously Westbrook Schools. Our FoodCorps members: 

• Engage Students in Menu Innovation: Engage directly with students, gathering their input and feedback to inspire menu change through activities such as cafeteria-wide taste tests and facilitating student advisory councils or focus groups.
• Advance School Meal Goals: Actively contribute to initiatives and projects that support district goals for school menus that are student driven, locally sourced, and/or scratch cooked. Support Family Engagement:
• Organize, lead, or participate in family engagement events to build knowledge of/ participation in school meal programs.

Portland's Farm to School Team

In 2025, educators, school nutrition staff, parents, and community members from the Lincoln, Longfellow, and Deering school communities attended Maine Farm and Sea to School Institute Academy in order to get guidance about how to integrate farm education into the classrooms, cafeterias, and wider community. Our team continues to meet monthly to plan programming that enhances student learning, promotes local food procurement, and strengthens connections to Maine’s farming and fishing communities.

We believe in an interconnected regional and just food system that centers respect and connection to the land and water through education. We strive to empower individuals to understand, access, and produce nourishing and culturally relevant food within the school and larger community.

Want to get involved? Email [email protected]​