Join a committed team of food security champions.

To join an action group as a general meeting interest member, click on the heading of an action group. You will be redirected to a Google Form in which you can leave your contact information, intended action group, affiliation (you can be simply an interested community member, but if you represent an organization, please indicate which organization you are representing), and specific interest/inquiry (if applicable). 
​
Alternatively, navigate to the "Contact" section and send the convener of your intended action group an email with the same information as indicated above.
Beginning in 2019, Food Fuels Learning entered Phase 2. At this stage, we created five separate action groups to address the challenges to food security in Portland Public Schools. These action groups include:

Federal Nutrition

Goal:  Increase participation in federal meal programs (such as school lunch and summer meals) by working directly with PPS Food Service Department to cultivate a school culture of healthy and inclusive food practices. 

Conveners: Cumberland County Food Security Council, Cultivating Community

Our Work: 
  • Through the funding of a USDA Farm to School Implementation Grant, we:
    • Increased local procurement and established local food as a staple in PPS Food Service Department.
    • Developed a marketing campaign for Portland Public Schools Food Service Department, including a new logo, mission statement, social media presence (Instagram, Facebook and a website titled Cafeteria Classroom) to increase the awareness and appeal of federal nutrition programs.
  • We provide staffing for Portland Public Schools Summer Meals Program and provide related resources such as the accompanying distribution map.
  • We support FoodCorps-led taste tests in PPS cafeterias to showcase local produce and other new menu items (check out taste tests on Cafeteria Classroom!), including taste tests of local haddock in partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
  • With funding from Full Plates Full Potential we launched the Culturally Important Menu Development Initiative with the purpose of bringing culturally diversity to the offerings of PPS Food Services, so that menu items would be more appealing to Portland's vast population and more educational for all PPS students.​
  • We support Portland Public Schools Food Service Department in maintaining cafeteria signage. 
  • We signed onto community letter advocating for lead-free water in Portland Public Schools.
  • Through the leadership of Full Plates Full Potential, we advocated for universal school lunches for all of Maine. 

Nutrition Education

Goal: Support existing nutrition education programs in schools and encourage the creation of new nutrition education initiatives in Portland Schools. 

Conveners: City of Portland Public Health Division

Our Work: 
  • We supplied five cooking carts to schools in the PPS school district, so that teachers can implement nutrition education in their curriculum with relevant instructional materials (Lyseth Elementary School, Reiche Community School, Gerald E. Talbot Community School, Rowe Elementary School, East End Community School).
  • Through partnership with Let's Go, we supported the construction of several raised garden beds at various schools in Portland Public Schools.
  • ​​We assisted in the development of SNAP-Ed teacher surveys during Covid-19 pandemic.​
  • We support elementary school cooking clubs.

School Gardens

Goal: Assist every school in developing and maintaining a successful school garden program.
​
Conveners: Cultivating Community

Our Work: 
  • We coordinate monthly skills trainings for Garden/Living Schoolyard educators, including workshops on developing garden worm bins, installing drip irrigation, maple sugaring practices, and more. 
  • We utilized potatoes grown from school gardens as mashed potatoes in school lunches.
  • We established School Garden Network and successfully advocated for the implementation of four Living Schoolyard Educators in PPS.
  • We developed outdoor learning curriculum for utilization in school garden curriculums.
  • We produced culturally important produce (okra and hot peppers) for community distribution.
  • We provided summer grow kits to students to maintain their connection with agriculture outside of school.
  • With the help of the Maine Department of Education, we coordinated Harvest of the Month trainings in Portland Public Schools.

Charitable Food Programs

Goal: Ensure that all children at risk of food insecurity have access to adequate, culturally relevant, nutritious food both at school and to supplement their diet beyond school.

Conveners: Locker Project, Cumberland County Food Security Council

Our Work: 
  • We continually assist in the coordination of school food pantry maintenance indirectly via provided networking opportunities and directly via PPS Food Fund distribution.
  • In order to determine gaps in food security assistance in Portland, we created a map of food distributions points throughout the city.
  • Locker Project maintains USM Internship program to promote healthy food access.
  • Locker Project coordinates ongoing fresh food events to source healthy food to the community.
  • During the Covid-19 pandemic, we helped to coordinate food drop-offs to affordable housing community.
  • During the Covid-19 pandemic, we created extra PPS Food Fund emergency grant cycle to assist in relieving food insecurity.​​​

Sustainable Practices

Goal: Support schools in creating procurement, waste management, and other practices that minimize their environmental impact. 

Conveners: Cumberland County Food Security Council

Our Work: 
  • We are currently surveying Portland Public Schools, in collaboration with waste management firm Agricycle, to comprehensively assess the state of waste management and sustainable practices in the school district.​
  • We supported the University of Maine Mitchell Center in developing food waste curriculum for elementary schools. Find out more here!
  • We supported the implementation of reusable silverware in Rowe Elementary School via acquisition of grant funding.
  • As an instructional guide for Portland Public Schools, we created the Sustainable Practices "Best Practices Guide."
  • We assisted in the coordination of classroom compost bins for various elementary school classrooms.


Food Fuels Learning believes all students have the right to nutritious food that allows them to attain their full potential.
​