Training Manual |
Chat Archives | Kitchens in Schools 5/21/01
Submitted by neda
on 04/04/2002
From Len:: Welcome!! Today's topic: How do I start a
community kitchen / job training for young men and women under age
18?
From Len:: Nancy from L'ville sent in some questions: What I
need in a letter is some background of the program, briefly how it
works, and $$$$$$. I really need to know who gets the food and how
do they get it. I will be shipping it out. Do you do that? What
happens in the summer? Do you get a grant and pay them to work in
the summer?
From ltrad:: We talked at the conference. Patty and I were
the ones from Cleveland interested in kitchens in schools. I'm
afraid we know so little about how to actually start, any info would
be helpful.
From Len:: We receive food from the food rescue orgs, teach
the kids how to prepare it, freeze it,and the rescue orgs then pick
it up and distribute to community agencies across the city. Maryam@dcck
just entered this room...
From Epeterson:: Hi, Erik here for the American School Food
Service Association
From Len:: Erik, perhaps you could comment on the ASFSA and
some of the key points that helped get the pilot projects going?
karen@dcck just entered this room...
From Epeterson:: What we are working on with Robert Egger and
DCCK is a pilot project in three schools around the country that
will train welfare recipients in foodservice skills, nutrition, etc,
and then help place them in jobs in schools and other foodservice
jobs.
From ltrad:: Do you think it is essential that this kitchen
be in a private school?
From Epeterson:: Unlike Len's project, we are not focusing on
teaching kids themselves at this point - but both models offer
enormous potential.
From ltrad:: I just wonder how we could get cooperation from
the public schools if the project didn't represent $$ for them.
Submitted by
neda on 04/04/2002
From Len:: I do not think that private or public matters.
What does matter is that the people paying the bills are excited
about the idea of using food as a tool to provide job training. I
think it really depends upon the school and individuals involved.
lhanley just entered this room...
From Epeterson:: Are projects are in public schools, though I
think community kitchens can work in any school if the right
conditions exist. robert just entered this room...
From Len:: Good point. The model we use is to start with a
grant, expose and market through community service/catering, and
then eventually self-sustain with catering. Good deeds AND Good
business.
From robert:: One of the key factors in this discussion will
be the # of kitchens that will soon outgrow their present shops and
need something bigger. The cost of a new kitchen is serious, so this
could prove to be a welcome alternative.
From Len:: True. How many school facilities sit underutilized
after 3pm?
From Epeterson:: Schools offer a lot of potential because not
only does the physical infrastructure and equipment exist, but most
public school foodservice divisions already train their staff or
offer training opportunities nearby.
From Len:: How many of you out there could use more storage
and production space?
From robert:: Plus...and this is a big one, every kid in the
US of A has got to do Community Service to graduate. This is one of
our biggest angles. The USDA Community Food Security Grants (due
last Friday) are another great link. If we can get some of that $
flowing in our direction, then we can link, food, training,
community service, nutrition ed, seniors all together...then who'd
say no? lhanley just left this room...
From Epeterson:: There are potential barriers to working in
schools however, including funds and bureacracy. The pilot project
we are working on should identify these obstacles and develop
creative ways to address them.
From karen@dcck:: Len, what's the first step someone takes to
start working on a kitchen in a school?
From robert:: Well put Eric...that is our task. But once
these have been addressed, I urge all of you to stand back.
From robert:: People have asked...what do you mean "stand
back?" I mean that there is so much gold in the schools that there
will be hundreds (or at least 10) that will want to get a piece of
this action.
From Len:: The first step is always people. Find people in
the schools who care about the idea that in ten years, we will have
80 million seniors to feed.
From Len:: People and money. Caring is good, but it's only an
idea if the motivation to make money is not stated right up front.
This sounds cynical, but reality is better dealt with right out
front!
From robert:: Hey gang...I gotta split. THANKS for the chat.
From Len:: Cleveland -Itrad - Are you there?
From ltrad:: Yes, I'm just reading what people are saying.
Our experience with nutrition ed is that the barriers are the same:
money and bureaucracy. robert just left this room...
From karen@dcck:: Okay, Len, so let's talk strategy here....
are there things we can do as a network to help address the money
and bureaucracy issues? Where else can we go to find funding if some
of the government grants hold too much red tape? What could we do
together to make this happen in more places??
From Len:: Karen asked what the first step is if someone
wants to start working on a kitchen in a school? What are your
opinions, what are your needs?
Submitted by
neda on 04/04/2002
From karen@dcck:: Do you see these kitchens in schools as
subdivisions of the already existing kitchens, or new entities
entirely?
From Len:: Erik, you want to take this one. Good question
Karen.
From Epeterson:: Both. I think potentially schools will get
into community kitchens on their own as an extension of what they
already do including feeding lunch and breakfast to children,
feeding seniors, providing after school snacks, training their
staff, and doing food recovery.
From ltrad:: We are looking for a home for our original
kitchen. We are interested in schools and have thought schools would
be a good place.
From Epeterson:: Ultimately, partnerships between schools and
existing community kitchens and other community groups will make the
most sense because it will avoid duplication of resources.
From Len:: I think both as well, depending on the kitchen's
goals and staff involved.
From karen@dcck:: Len and Erik, the idea of "both" is great
-- and I love the fact that some kitchens are already doing this.
How do we find out who/which schools are already doing this?
From Len:: If we are going to motivate schools to
participate, I think a needed question is "what do the schools
need/want?"
From Len:: Karen - Good point. I have been told we are the
only ones doing this but I have always found this hard to believe. I
can get with two large chef's associations and dig a little deeper-
the IACP and the ACF.
From Epeterson:: Schools foodservice directors (who are in
charge of school kitchens) need to be convinced that this is
beneficial to them because it addresses their shortage of qualified
kitchen staff, while also helping the community. Once the Director
is on board, you have a strong ally in convincing the school board.
From karen@dcck:: Len -- sounds good. Robert always says to
look for what is already there, and see how to join, not duplicate.
Let's do try to find some schools that are providing training, or
that would be interested.
From Len:: Don't most schools feel they are already
overburdened with helping the community? Are the Directors a key
part of the ASFSA membership?
From karen@dcck:: Erik, what kind of information do we need
to be collecting about the pilot programs, in order to present a
really strong case to foodservice directors after these first three
are wildly successful?
From Epeterson:: We are also digging to determine who is
doing what out there. At some point a list will be put together of
known projects. One of the challenges in that regard, which is true
with community kitchens in general, is the diversity of what
qualifies as a program. Some schools have "community kitchens" that
are not training programs but focus only on food recovery.
From Len:: My question too...how is the info being collected
on the pilots, and will we be able to share the info?
From Epeterson:: We (DCCK and ASFSA) will be putting together
a manual on how to do what the pilots did and a promotional video
that can be used to convince school foodservice directors and school
boards.
From Len:: Cool.
From Len:: Erik, what do you consider to be the anticipated
measurable outcomes of the pilots?
Submitted by
neda on 04/04/2002
From Epeterson:: I can send an outline of the manual to DCCK
to be posted on the discussion boards at Kitchens INC - if there is
information missing that we should be compiling - it can still be
added. Actually DCCK already has this but I'll send another copy for
the discussion board.
From karen@dcck:: That would be great, Erik -- we'll get it
up right away, and put it in a whole "Kitchens In Schools" section.
From Epeterson:: Outcomes include number of trained
participants, cost per participants, job retention 6 months out of
the program, amount of food distributed to the community to feed
those in need... that's off the top of my head, we'll also be
looking at the barriers that came up and how they were addressed.
From Len:: Thanks Karen...kitchens in schools sounds a lot
more accessible than "school-based community kitchen programs"!
From ltrad:: That sounds like a great idea. My experience
with school food service is that the administration insists they run
in the black. This, even at the cost of serving candy on the line. I
can imagine they would balk at someone using their utilities if the
costs weren't covered.
From Len:: Sounds good Erik.
From Epeterson:: Food recovery is not universal - many
schools do it but it is very much district by district.
From karen@dcck:: I'm confused -- "serving candy on the
line?" What do you mean?
From Epeterson:: Itrad: That is true. However we were
surprised in selecting pilots at how little theyr requested from us
to implement programs. Most are planning to implement 12 week
training programs for 10 - 12 participants for $10K - $12K.
Submitted by
neda on 04/04/2002
From Maryam@dcck:: Erik, do you have a rough estimate of how
many schools around the country have food recovery programs?
From Len:: In our case, it is a context for Community
service, giving students access to the opportunity to fulfill a
graduation requirement, also acquiring skills along the way.
From karen@dcck:: That's great Len -- what are you doing to
publicize what you're doing? Has anyone done a big story on you
yet??
From Epeterson:: Len - Schools are motivated by different
factors in terms of food recovery. Community service is a huge one,
another is a sense of civic/community duty. USDA sponsored a pilot
project several years ago that awarded some 20 schools with $10K
grants to implement food recovery. They put together a great report
on it which available on the USDA-FNS web site. I'll have to fund
the URL. I would estimate maybe 10% of schools have some kind of
recovery program in place.
From Len:: Erik, of these schools doing food rescue, does it
require extra staff to do so? aretha@abelcks just entered this
room...
From ltrad:: Serving candy on the line means selling kids
candy to entice them to spend their money. This as well as the
pouring rights contracts are using kids' health for financial gain.
From Epeterson:: I think they mostly use existing staff and
student volunteers. ASFSA did an online chat on food recovery in
November. I can send in the transcript to DCCK.
From Len:: Thanks Karen. No big stories yet, mostly local. I
would love to see us bring national attention to empowering people
for self-sufficiency before they "end-up" in a publicly assisted
line.
From Len:: Erik, sounds like some great resource info flowing
from your direction.
From aretha@abelcks:: Hi everyone, I missed a good deal of
this discussion, so I’ll get it off the discussion board.
From karen@dcck:: I just think it's going to be a pretty big
thing coming up -- all of these schools have so many requirements
for graduation, and I think a story about what kind of value the
service requirement is giving would be pretty timely. It would also
help raise some eyebrows of schools who are looking for a way to not
ship their students off to the local shelter to do work that may or
may not be rewarding....
From Epeterson:: The Department of Agriculture has strict
rules about the selling of food with no nutritional value in the
cafeteria during lunch/breakfast. Though there are exceptions, most
schools do not sell the foods of minimal nutritional value at these
times. Vending machines serving non-nutritional value are not
supposed to compete with school foodservice - most vending machine
revenue does not go to school foodservice budgets.
From Len:: Karen. Absolutely true. I will send you the
releases done already. I agree, schools consider trips offsite as
risky and expensive. Community service in-house I think is always
going to be popular.
From Len:: More popular.
From Len:: Please come back Aretha!
From ltrad:: I know there are rules, but that's not the
reality here. I interview for a food service manager's job of a
large school system here and was told I would need to serve candy to
stay in the black-as well as cutting staff hours to 31/2 hours a day
so they didn't get benefits-that from the Superintendent of Schools.
Submitted by
neda on 04/04/2002
From aretha@abelcks:: LOL ...I'm still here, trying to catch
up on the reading...so you started a job training program in a
school? And does the food go to agencies?
From karen@dcck:: I'm actually going to log off right now,
but I'm excited about this dialogue -- I really think this will be a
great thing for our network, and for a lot of communities. Keep us
updated, and keep contributing, so we can all be resources for each
other.
From Len:: Yes. 16 different community agencies distributed
by Second Harvest.
From aretha@abelcks:: Len, this is only through Second
Harvest?
From Len:: Aretha, that's only one avenue in our area. We
also have an independent that handles different types of food and
distributes to yet more agencies.
From aretha@abelcks:: Independents like community kitchens
that are not connected to the food banks?
From Len:: Aretha, an independent food bank. One of the
things that works well for us is that both orgs are considered to be
managing partners, having helped create the program and seated on
our advisor board.
From Len:: Erik, thanks for all the helpful info and resource
offers. I look forward to seeing these up on the DCCK site. Also,
what is the best time to phone?
From Len:: Aretha, check out our info on the kitchens inc
site - Wallace Academy Community Kitchen
From ltrad:: Len, Thanks for the chat. I need to log off. I
look forward to the resources, too. Laura
From aretha@abelcks:: Len, thank you...I will...I think I'll
have a better understanding then. Thanks!!
From Epeterson:: This was great info. My contact information
is on the Kitchens Inc site, I can be reached any time during
business hours, and usually before and after too.
From Len:: Itrad, thanks for telling it like it is. Let's
talk more soon.
From Len:: Thank you all. Gotta go. Len From Maryam: Thanks
for hosting this chat, Len. Talk to you soon.
From Nancy in L’ville: Thank you for posting this chat. Now that I
finally have the internert back. This has just the info in it I need
for a meeting tomorrow.
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