Feed Our Future believes every child deserves access to fresh, health and (when available) local food-no matter where they go to school. That is why we work hand-in-hand with our partners to make local purchasing as simple as possible, impactful, and sustainable. Together, we are creating wins for everyone. Farmers thrive, food producers grow, and schools succeed with kids enjoying nourishing meals that will fuel their futures.
Our innovative farm to school bid makes it easy for schools to bring fresh local foods into their cafeterias. Our partnership with Ohio Schools Council removes the administrative burden of the procurement process from school-based child nutrition programs. The system that we have created means that schools have the flexibility to source local and regional fresh fruits, vegetables, and value added products to customize their farm to school program.
The 2024-2025 school year marks the 10th Anniversary of our farm to school bid and the release of our fourth local purchasing report. Local food purchasing continued to shine brightly and we couldn’t be prouder of what our school nutrition partners across Northeast Ohio achieved:
- 71 school districts participated in local food purchasing, a 19% increase from last school year
- Total local spend: $900,204.74
- 18 new small and medium sized producers entered the school supply chain for the first time.
The continued commitment of our school district and food system partners means more students had access to fresh local foods than any other school year before. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Access Northeast Ohio report here.
We can’t wait to see what the 2025-2026 school year holds for local foods. Contact us to learn more about how you join our local purchasing program and become a part of our 2025-2026 purchasing report.
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