Fresh Food Access

We build every piece of a complete food system at a school scale.

Our food access work grew out of the gardens themselves: as school farms began producing real abundance, we built the ways to get that food to students and families.

A girl in a garden smiles holding a handful of tomatillos and a paper bag under a big sunflower.
School farm harvest
Systems challenge

In large districts, procurement systems and kitchen infrastructure push Food Services toward heavily processed, pre-packaged products from giant distributors. Cafeterias can't serve fresh food, even when kids and parents want it.

Our approach

We build every piece of a complete food system at a school-by-school scale, which makes farm-to-table practical for the district: campus farms, culinary job-training, and farm-fresh ingredients in scratch-cooked cafeteria meals.

By the numbers

2.5M+ lbs of farm-fresh produce distributed to student households.since 2020

9,200 lbs of fresh produce was grown for school lunches on school farms.2025

96% of student apprentices said they’re more interested in healthy living.2025 survey

Gardening is her favorite subject at school. She knows more than me and my family about gardening and taking care of plants. We miss being able to get fresh veggies and fruits every other week. Would love to have that back.Venus James, parent, Washington Elementary (WCCUSD) · 2026 stakeholder survey
The model

Redesigning a school-based food system

1

School-based farming

Students and staff turned an unused baseball field into a one-acre farm in 2021. With CDFA Farm to School support we now run one-to-two-acre farms at three WCCUSD schools.

2

Farm-to-table apprenticeships

In CTE classes, students design menus, grow and harvest crops, and work alongside cafeteria staff to prepare the day's lunch, mentored by our culinary teachers.

3

Community food distribution

We source from 12 to 15 small local farmers for the Food Bank's Farm 2 Kids program, distributing 5,000 lbs a week to low-income school communities.

From the field
Four workers in aprons and gloves hold up bunches of carrots and green onions over boxes of produce.
Farm 2 Kids distribution
Young people in hairnets and gloves wash and trim lettuce and spinach in a commercial kitchen.
Farm-to-table apprentices
A full rainbow arcs over rows of young crops and flowers on an empty farm field under dark clouds.
The one-acre school farm

Bring this to your school.

Principals, PTAs, teachers, district staff: tell us about your campus and we'll talk through what's possible, from a first consultation to a full program.

Start a conversation

Fund this program.

Your gift keeps expert instructors, gardens, and fresh food at Title I schools across the East Bay.

Donate
Our programs reinforce each other. Keep reading.Next: Planting Trees