Local Food Fuels Learning 

In July of 2020, the Cumberland County Food Security Council in partnership with Portland Public Schools, was awarded a two-year USDA Farm to School Implementation Grant  for its proposal, "Local Food Fuels Learning." The main objective of this proposal is to promote school food emphasizing local, fresh, and nutritious by building upon the strong foundation of work established through the Food Fuels Learning network and model. The values of this project are rooted in equity, community empowerment, and relationship building. 

You can learn more about this work and its broader context within Food Fuels Learning in this recording of a presentation we gave to the PPS School Board on October 5, 2021. The presentation begins at 46:30. 
Below, please find the goals of this project and more information around the progress and accomplishments we have made to date! 
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Goal A: By June 2022, increase local food procurement for PPS nutrition programs by 5%. 
  • Objectives include analyzing current purchasing, improving kitchen efficiencies, increasing infrastructure for local food processing
  • Accomplishments: 
    • Consultant Jed Beach of FarmSmart Maine completed an economic feasibility study of different local foods that could be served in PPS. You can find the full report here. 
    • ​Chef Sam Gasbarro is currently performing observations and will provide recommendations to PPS Food Services on ways to increase overall efficiency and quality of school meals.
    • The grant team is currently conducting research on the best carrot processing equipment to purchase for PPS Food Service so that we can dramatically increase the amount of local carrots being served. This is happening in partnership with the Maine Food Convergence's 'Processing Working Group'. 
    • We are partnering with Gulf of Maine Research Institute, who was also awarded a Farm to School Grant, to collaborate on strategies for increasing local seafood in PPS meals. For a wonderful resource, please see their Sea to School Toolkit. 
Goal B: Launch PPS Food Service branding and marketing campaign that highlights scratch-cooked meals, local food, and local producers. 
  • Objectives include continuing with branding and marketing campaign work, expanding upon model, increasing opportunities to celebrate local food in school meals
  • Accomplishments: ​
    • With the support of Leah Hurley and India Menninghaus of Craft, PPS Food Service underwent an exciting rebranding process that included a new logo, reimagined mission, vision, and values, an updated website and social media presence, communications plan, Food Service 101, and promotional materials such as a postcard, banner, vinyl clings, and new business cards. 
    • FoodCorps and AmeriCorps staff continue to do a remarkable job creating a robust, informative, and fun virtual platform called, Cafeteria Classroom where students can learn all about the foods that they eat at school and about the producers who provide local fruits and vegetables.  
    • Aidan Blum-Levine, Arsinna Diora Ndagano, Hannah Leaticia, and Anna Behuniak were four high school interns who, with the support of Lauren Hickey, conducted a School Lunch Survey of students and parents and received over 800 responses! They analyzed the data and presented this information to the Food Fuels Learning network and PPS Food Services. We are using their results to guide the work of the grant moving forward. You can see their presentation slide deck here. 
    • Central Kitchen served potato salad for lunch made from potatoes grown from PPS school gardens! 
Goal C: Increase opportunities and support for food and agricultural education in PPS. 
  • Objectives include activities to promote student engagement and excitement about school meals and local foods, expanding experiential learning opportunities, service projects that support farm to school
  • Accomplishments: 
    • With collaboration from the Cumberland County Gleaning Initiative, PPS high school students participated in a blueberry glean at Jordan's Farm and an apple glean at Boyd Street Community Garden. 
    • With partnership from Maine SNAP-Ed, two fully equipped mobile cooking carts were donated to Gerald E. Talbot Community School and East End Community School. Learn more here.
    • Four elementary schools hired Garden Ed Techs thanks to advocacy from the PPS School Garden Network, an action group of Food Fuels Learning. 

USDA 'Thank You + Sharing Session'



​On October 26, 2021, the USDA FNS Regional Office featured the Council and our partners for our outstanding farm to school work. You can find this 'Thank You + Sharing Session' recording, which highlights the USDA's acknowledgment of our work and each of our grant partners talking about their accomplishments, here. 

Maine Farm to School Institute

Cumberland County Food Security Council and Food Fuels Learning are sub-awardees on a grant from the USDA Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to fund the new Maine Farm to School Institute. Members of our Leadership Team will serve as advisors with the Maine Farm to School Institute program committee in order to integrate food security as an integral part of Farm to School content. Once the Institute is launched, we will conduct a Food Fuels Learning workshop on integrating school food security with farm to school programming, racial & economic justice framework, and an overview of the FFL toolkit. 


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