2023 Annual Report

Dear friends,

In 2023, the Center for Ecoliteracy was able to advance change in K–12 education and school food systems – thanks to our partners, supporters, and allies. 

We amplified student voices, recognized school nutrition professionals, secured state investments to provide all students with more freshly-prepared and locally-sourced meals, and celebrated California’s groundbreaking School Meals for All program.

Read on for highlights from a dynamic year.

alexa

Alexa Norstad
Executive Director

School FOOD Systems change

We support public school districts to provide students with freshly-prepared, locally-sourced school meals and experiences connecting the classroom, cafeteria, and garden.

school nutrition leaders

“Looking back at our decade-long partnership, we have grown and are able to serve our students better.” —Vince Caguin (second from right), Natomas Unified School District

CALIFORNIA FOOD FOR CALIFORNIA KIDS® NETWORK
With over 120 public school districts across the state and growing, the California Food for California Kids® Network reaches more than two million students. Together, these districts serve one-third of the school meals served in California each year. We provide an array of programs, resources, and inspiration for school nutrition professionals, educators, and school communities.

STUDENT-LED FARM TO SCHOOL
Our bilingual short film Farm to School showcases the power of youth leadership in the farm to school movement. Co-produced with Esperanza Community Farms in Pajaro Valley, the film premiered at the 2023 Watsonville Film Festival. 

A STUDENT’S BOLD VISION FOR SCHOOL MEALS
The Center for Ecoliteracy interviewed Anahi Nava Flores, a student leader at Mt. Diablo Unified School District (a member of the Network since 2015), to hear how the School Meals for All program has impacted their community and how the cafeteria can contribute to students’ sense of belonging.

LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
Our 2023 Leadership and Innovation Awards, presented alongside First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, recognized nine incredible school nutrition leaders at the 2023 California Farm to School Conference.

ECOLOGICAL Education

We empower educators to provide transformational student experiences on the food system and sustainability.

student eating berry

“I’ll use the Smart By Nature Principles and Social Justice Standards to adapt lessons to my diverse student body.” —Elementary Garden Educator

EATING, LEARNING, GROWING
We reached 150 educators across the U.S. through our virtual workshops on culturally relevant farm to school education. Our new Eating Learning Growing resources are designed to help educators extend, enhance, and enrich farm to school lessons to be more culturally relevant and engaging for the unique students in each learning environment. To accompany this work, large-scale environmental graphics were launched in 34 schools across California and were honored with the Graphic Design USA 2023 Health and Wellness Award.

RETHINKING FARM TO SCHOOL
We reached 95 state-funded educators across California with our Rethinking Farm to School toolkit and workshops that support farm to school programs in California’s low-income schools. In partnership with CalFresh Healthy Living, UC, this comprehensive offering features strategies for connecting with stakeholders, expanding local procurement, reducing food waste, and implementing School Meals for All. Corresponding multilingual marketing materials allow educators to customize for their students.

Policy and advocacy

We advance policy solutions, steward successful implementation at schools, and advocate for systems that cultivate sustainable school communities. 

students eating lunch

“826 million meals is a testament to the success of this program and the commitment of California’s school nutrition professionals.” —California State Senator Nancy Skinner

$1.66 BILLION IN STATE FUNDING FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION
In partnership with the School Meals for All coalition, our advocacy led to funding for school nutrition programs and protected the CDFA Farm to School Incubator Grant Program in California’s 2023–24 state budget. We are proud to see California’s continued leadership on School Meals for All and complementary investments to serve more freshly-prepared, locally-sourced meals to students.

PROVEN SUCCESS WITH SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL
In 2022–23, the first year of the state’s School Meals for All program that guarantees free breakfast and lunch for all K–12 public school students, more students participated in school meals. California schools also outpaced other states by serving 826 million meals — two million more than in 2018–19 — compared to a decline of 270 million meals across the rest of the country.

BUILDING OUR 2024 ADVOCACY
Our unique approach to policy change is centered around the voices of school nutrition leaders and students. In 2023, we started cultivating policy champions for 2024. We surveyed school nutrition leaders and gathered data and insights that will be crucial to our storytelling and advocacy during the budget deficit. 
 

PARTNERSHIPS

Our dynamic partnerships continue to inspire and fulfill us. Thank you to our partners:

California Association of Food Banks

California Association of Student Councils

California Department of Food and Agriculture, Office of Farm to Fork

CalFresh Healthy Living, UC

Community Alliance with Family Farmers

LunchAssist

NextGen California

Nutrition Policy Institute

Office of Kat Taylor

STEM4Real

Ten Strands

Looking Ahead

Our 2024 outlook is rich with opportunities to support school food systems change, ecological education, and policy and advocacy. We look forward to celebrating 10 years of California Food for California Kids, launching our sixth-grade unit of the K-12 climate change and environmental justice curriculum, extending our food education resources to California’s early childhood education program, and advocating for state investments in school nutrition programs.