Since receiving the 2025 New England Food Vision Prize from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation last summer, we’ve been hard at work alongside our project partners, Orleans Central Supervisory Union (OCSU) and NOFA-VT.
Our first session with OCSU food service staff was in January and focused on building relationships, listening closely to the challenges of sourcing local foods, and identifying practical solutions together. This marked an important first step in creating a supportive community of practice—one where school nutrition professionals can share resources and strengthen skills around storing, handling, and preparing local ingredients for scratch-cooked, seasonal menus.
Over the next 18 months, we’ll continue convening this group while collaborating with NOFA-VT to offer hands-on trainings and technical assistance. Together, we’re working toward OCSU’s goal of sourcing 15% of its food from local producers.
Beyond professional development, this project will expand local food procurement across northern Vermont schools through expanding food hub routes and inventory, enrolling schools in ongoing purchasing programs, and launching a locally-focused menu photo contest to celebrate school kitchens bringing regional ingredients to life!
