Episode 195: Improving Our Workforce to Improve School Food Programs
About the Podcast
For today’s episode, Clancy speaks with Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation. She has dedicated the past ten years to championing the cause of healthier food for our nation’s children. You won’t want to miss their discussion about the challenges we face in the workforce for the school food program and what the parent advocacy tool kit looks like. Listen and enjoy the show!
About Mara Fleishman
Mara Fleishman is the CEO of Chef Ann Foundation who has dedicated the past ten years to championing the cause of healthier food for our nation's children. She also dedicated over a decade to Whole Foods Market, assuming the pivotal role of Global Director of Partnerships.
Discussion Takeaways
- The Chef Ann Foundation help districts move their school food programs move from serving a more processed food to a freshly prepared scratch cook program.
- School food employees are usually the lowest-paid employees in the school district. It reflects the value we hold for school food programs.
- Unless we face the workforce issues that we have in school food, we are not going to have the change we want to serve freshly produced food.
- The parent advocacy tool kit has three sections. First is to get educated about school food program. Second is to get organized. Last on the list is to take action and to formally build a group within your hometown.
- Food dignity means that the meals that people eat is not creating inequity. We all have opportunity to eat fresh, healthy food that allows us to thrive and meet our potential.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
Investing in small local farms today not only supports sustainable practices but also reduces long-term costs, reshaping the future of food procurement.
Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement's Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.
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