School Food FOCUS

Launched in 2008, School Food FOCUS is a national collaborative that leverages the knowledge and procurement power of large school districts to make school meals nationwide more healthful, regionally sourced and sustainably produced. To do this FOCUS has brought together a powerful and committed network of leaders – school food service professionals from nearly 40 of the largest school districts in the nation, their partnering organizations and other allies. FOCUS uses three core programmatic approaches: (1) a market-based procurement leveraging strategy; (2) a public policy advocacy path; and (3) a communications strategy. This presentation will concentrate on its procurement strategies that target the ‘whole plate' of school meals – fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and dairy – both commodities (USDA Foods) and food purchased on the open market. Based in principles of participatory research and adult learning, FOCUS has developed a unique approach to procurement change in the form of Learning Labs in three individual school districts. The presenter will describe the design of the labs, some of the robust results and how this work is now transitioning to a regional approach in seven states of the upper Midwest. In addition, she will describe other procurement work taking aim at key foods on the school meals plate that are of significance nationwide.