I’ve been working with Common Roots, a local non-profit focusing on farm to school initiatives, for a few months and they got some great news last week! On Friday March 22, 2013 the Superintendent of the Milton School District, John Barone, Sr., received a call from the office of the First Lady. He was then patched through to Michelle Obama. The First Lady conveyed that she has followed Milton School District’s food service changes over the past year. Michelle recently posted a blog from the Milton Food Service Director, Steve Marinelli, about how his students enjoy fresh entrees along with the fruits and vegetables in the new “self-serve” bars.

Steve has completely redesigned the food system in Milton. Food is fresh and nourishing. The breakfast sales have tripled and the school lunches have more than doubled. Faculty who typically did not purchase school food have become regular customers.

Michelle Obama personally invited Milton to chose five fifth graders to travel to the White House and assist her in planting the White House Garden. Students were chosen from essays written about Farm to School and how changes in their school food service have made positive impacts on their school and community. This great experience, however, is not funded by the White House.

Milton is partnering with Common Roots to meet this challenge in a timely fashion on behalf of the students. Common Roots has benefited from the talented expertise of Steve Marinelli as our the South Burlington Food Enterprise Plan was passed by the School Board last week. Common Roots has committed to raising $6,000 needed to cover the student expenses (flight, accommodations and food) of this amazing opportunity.

Please consider making a contribution! Even a little bit helps! This is a great opportunity to get farm to school education (keep in mind, this is one of the first schools to successfully implement a farm to school program in the country) and Vermont in the spotlight!
You can donate through the Common Roots website and go to PayPal or send a check to: Common Roots, PO Box 9335, South Burlington, Vermont 05407

Thank You!


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