251416 Investing in the Health of our Students and the Economic Well Being of the Detroit Community

Tuesday, November 1, 2011: 11:10 AM

Betti Wiggins, CPM , Office of School Food Services, Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI
     
The Detroit Public Schools Office of Food Service established it's Farm to School program in 2009 within 22 schools. In school year 2010, the program expanded to 43 schools serving 7,800 students. The theme of the Farm to School program in Detroit Public Schools is "Investing in the Health of our Students and the Economic Well Being of the Detroit Community".

Operationally, Office of Food Services menu offers one locally grown fruit or vegetable on the monthly menu. When an item is menued we provide information to the school giving the name of the farm from which the item came and it's location.

Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the Farm to School strategies undertaken by Detroit Public Schools to improve health and wellbeing of students. 2. Discuss the operational steps needed to implement a Farm to School program at a school district, including establishing procurement relationships with farmers, engaging the students and school community.

Keywords: Food and Nutrition, School-Based Programs

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Executive Director of the Office of Food Services for Detroit Public Schools. I am responsible for school based meal operations in 143 schools, for all USDA child nutrition programs and non program sales, facilities management, employees and services, training programs for all levels of staff, and managing external business relationships with vendors, school principals and non-profit organizations. Before Detroit, I have held executive positions in school districts in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, Atlanta, GA, Paterson, NJ, and Ann Arbor, MI.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Schools as Hubs for Healthy Communities
See more of: Food and Nutrition