Monthly Harvest

Natalie McHale
3 days ago
4 min read

June 2025

Hello Farm to Fork friends!

As the school year winds down, millions of students across the country are preparing for a summer of fun and freedom. But for many families, summer can also bring uncertainty, especially when it comes to accessing nutritious meals. During the school year, over 20 million children rely on free or reduced-price school meals as a consistent source of nourishment. When school lets out, that support can disappear.

That’s why now is the time to Squash Summer Hunger—by helping spread the word about free summer nutrition opportunities available in your community. Whether through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) or other local initiatives, these programs help ensure that no child goes hungry when school cafeterias close.

Registration is NOW OPEN! By registering your summer meal program or event with us, you're not only helping us promote your site through our outreach channels - you’re also helping us get a clearer picture of how many families we're collectively reaching across the state. This allows us to track impact, share success stories, and better advocate for the resources and support your community needs.

Let’s work together to make sure every child has a seat at the table—even when school is out.

Where to Next? Reserve your space today!

Workshop 2: Honoring Roots: Indigenous Foodways in School Meals

Tuesday, June 24 - Duschene, UT - Register here!

Highlighting a local ranch’s sustainable model for selling livestock to schools—proving farm-to-school is profitable, scalable, and beneficial. Indigenous soil experts will share how traditional and regenerative practices foster resiliency and food sovereignty.

Workshop 3: Beyond the Cafeteria: Creative Farm to School Pathways

Friday, September 5 - Salt Lake City, UT - Register here!

Highlighting diverse and innovative farm-to-school models, from farm-based charter schools to refugee youth programs and nonprofit-run community gardens, demonstrating the many ways farm-to-school can thrive.

Workshop 4: Sowing Seeds of Success: Farm to School Grants in Action

Monday, September 29 - Moab, UT - Register here!

Featuring a successful farm-to-school grant recipient to inspire and guide others in applying for funding, showing the impact that grants can have in making local food accessible to schools.

Network Spotlight

K&S Blackner Custom Meats

Kolby Blackner of K&S Blackner LLC Custom Meats in Minersville has been raising and delivering farm-fresh meats for over two decades—but the last two years have marked a turning point. By selling directly to schools and handling deliveries himself, Kolby says it has completely changed the sustainability of his business.

Getting good food to kids, he says, is a "no-brainer." His commitment to quality and community makes K&S Blackner a shining example of what Farm to Fork can look like in action.

Resource Spotlight

Planning an event at your summer meal site? Our handy Toolkit has everything you need to make it a success—check it out and start planning today. Registration opens soon. Stay tuned!

Download the Toolkit!

Get Involved

Culinary Workshops 2025

June 17 & June 20 | Register here

Join Chef Cyndie and the Culinary Solutions team for a series of cooking workshops based on Harvest of the Season recipes, focused on bringing local ingredients to your cafeteria!

Each workshop participant will receive a chef’s hat, apron, and personal kitchen supply kit!

Food Justice

Speak up for School Meals!

You don’t need to be a policy expert to be a powerful advocate for school meals—legislators want to hear from you, and your personal stories can make a powerful impact when you share them.

In “Ready to Speak Up for School Meals?” a new SN Plus article, they dive into five things you should keep in mind when advocating for school nutrition programs, including why advocacy works and how you can make a difference no matter what level of political knowledge or prior advocacy experience you have.

Check it out!

Job Opportunities

Make a Difference—Join the Child Nutrition Team!

Explore opportunities here!

Looking for a meaningful job that fits the school schedule? Explore careers in Child Nutrition for the upcoming school year! Help fuel students' learning with healthy meals while being part of a supportive, mission-driven team. It’s more than a job—it’s a chance to nourish your community every day.

Funding Opportunities

Lots of Compassion Grant

June 16 | Apply here

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day and KidsGardening will award $20,000 each to 10 projects turning vacant lots into community gardens. This grant supports under-resourced communities and promotes neighborhood revitalization through gardening.

Salad Bar Grant | Whole Kids Foundation

Applications open year round | Apply here

Encourage your school to apply for the Salad Bars to Schools grant! This program provides U.S. schools with free salad bars, ensuring students have daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The grant includes all necessary equipment—such as a mobile salad bar, chill pads, pans, and tongs—plus training modules from the Chef Ann Foundation’s School Food Institute.

Did You Know?

Utah SUN Bucks (also called Summer EBT) can help families buy food during the summer when schools are closed. Families get $120 for each eligible school-age child.

Learn more!