We, the undersigned members of the Collingswood/Oaklyn/Woodlynne school community, respectfully request the Collingswood Board of Education to commission a task force focused on improving the district’s school nutrition program. This task force should include district staff and community members, with at least 50% representation from parents and community members.

Why This Matters:

While current USDA guidelines allow for nutrition service providers to offer items like Pop-Tarts for breakfast, consider fruit juice as a substitute for fresh fruit, and categorize French fries as a vegetable, we believe our students deserve better. We seek to explore what it would take to:

• Increase scratch-cooked meals using locally sourced, whole, and culturally relevant ingredients.
• Provide meals that reflect the community's values and emphasize proper nutrition and balance.

Benefits of Improved Nutrition:

1. Health and Well-being: Nutrition plays a critical role in children’s academic and physical development. Research indicates that well-balanced meals rich in nutrients significantly improve cognitive performance, energy levels, and mood regulation. Conversely, high-sugar diets are linked to metabolic issues and reduced focus, particularly impacting low-income students reliant on school meals as their primary nutrition source.
2. Equity: Approximately 30% of students in our district rely on free/reduced lunch programs. Families with greater financial resources can supplement school meals, whereas others cannot. Providing high-quality, nutritious meals ensures that all students—regardless of socioeconomic status—start their day on equal footing.
3. Education: School meals are an opportunity to teach students about healthy eating habits and helping students develop lifelong positive behaviors. School meals have been shown to reduce absences, increase engagement, and enhance learning outcomes. They also alleviate financial strain for families, promoting greater household stability​.

Proposed Task Force Responsibilities:

The task force will:

• Evaluate Current Options: Work with the existing food service provider, to improve meal offerings and better align them with community values and nutritional priorities.
• Consider Alternatives via RFP: Initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) process rather than relying solely on a bidding system, which typically prioritizes the lowest-cost option without fully accounting for quality, nutritional value, or cultural alignment. An RFP allows the district to specify its priorities, such as whole-food ingredients, scratch cooking, locally sourced options, and culturally relevant meals. This approach enables the district to select vendors like Red Rabbit or Pomptonian Food Service, which are known for aligning school nutrition programs with community-driven values, address parental priorities, accommodate allergy-friendly menus, and uphold high nutritional standards. These vendors also emphasize farm-to-school practices, sourcing fresh, local ingredients to provide meals that support sustainable agriculture and student health. Additionally, they price their offerings below the federal reimbursement rate, making their programs both financially feasible and impactful for the district.
• Assess In-House Options: Evaluate the investment needed to transition nutrition services in-house, ensuring flexibility and greater control over food quality and menu planning in the long run.
• Explore Funding Opportunities: Assess the feasibility of leveraging grants, such as the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program, to determine how these resources can support the district's goals. These grants can provide critical funding for planning, infrastructure improvements, and implementing healthier practices, making it possible to achieve higher nutritional standards and align with community priorities without overburdening the district’s budget.

The task force will consider all of these options and may recommend a course of action that incorporates some, all, or additional options not currently listed. This ensures the proposed solution is comprehensive, innovative, and tailored to meet the district's unique needs.