PRESS
RELEASE
310.450.8338, ext. 259 May 2, 2008
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Celebrating 10th Anniversary
3,600 apples, 8,000 oranges, 300 cases of grapes and
strawberries, 1,400 bunches of carrots, 3,500 cucumbers, 7,884 heads of lettuce
served to Santa Monica Malibu students last year!
With childhood obesity on the rise, the health of today’s
youth is in critical danger, but a revolutionary school lunch program in Santa
Monica Malibu schools is helping students to stay healthy. Students choose farm fresh fruits and
vegetables for lunch every day! Not only are they getting their fruits and
veggies, but they are part of a unique Farm To School Program that purchases
directly from farmers at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. On May 8th
the salad bars will be celebrating their 10th anniversary at
McKinley Elementary School, where it all began.
The program began in 1997 as a pilot program during summer
school at McKinley. The success over
the summer spurred the opening of salad bars in all of the Santa Monica and
Malibu schools. Daily participation at
the salad bars has risen to 1,000+ salads per day district wide.
Major funding for this program was originally provided by grants from various agencies, including the City of Santa Monica, the California Department of Health Services Nutrition Network, The American Cancer Society, 5 A Day, St. John’s Health Center, and school PTAs. After ten years in operation, the Farmers’ Market Salad Bar has become a sustainable school lunch option. The salad bar is prepared fresh daily by Food and Nutrition Services staff at each school site.
Other program components include school gardens, nutrition
education in the classroom, and student field trips to the Santa Monica
Farmers’ Market.
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SANTA
MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1651 16TH
Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
ph:
310.450.8338; fax: 310.581.1138
www.smmusd.org