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Put California's new school food money to work in the garden
We are raising $80,000 to finish the toolkits and co-host trainings with the California Department of Education (CDE), so school food authorities (SFAs) and community organizations are ready when the money arrives, expected in 2027.
An SFA is a school district, county office of education, or charter school that runs both federal school meal programs: the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Most are school districts.
What the money does
Dollars from the Kitchen Infrastructure and Training (KIT) Fund go to SFA nutrition services departments, which usually do not run education programs. CDE has invited us to host training webinars on using the money for hands-on food education and garden activities. Without training and tools, the money may go to familiar kitchen expenses instead of the hands-on programs that get students eating fresh food.
The $80,000 pays for project management through mid-2027, while SFAs make their first plans. It covers three things:
- Training. Webinars co-hosted with CDE for SFA staff on using KIT funds for hands-on food and garden education, and our own sessions that prepare community organizations to be effective SFA partners.
- Tools. A toolkit for community organizations, with case studies, outreach templates and talking points, and one for SFAs on what the money can pay for and how to contract with a partner.
- Reach. Getting the toolkits to the nutrition services directors who decide how to spend the money, through webinars, outreach and conferences.
How to give
Growing Together is the nonprofit that receives and manages gifts for the coalition, as its fiscal sponsor. Gifts are tax-deductible: Growing Together Bay Area Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 88-2293022.
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- By check
- Payable to Growing Together Bay Area Inc, with CA School Garden Coalition in the memo line, mailed to 2226 MacArthur Blvd #2735, Oakland, CA 94602.
- Larger gifts, stock, donor-advised funds
- Write to hello@growingtogetherprojects.org and name the coalition.
- Ask a funder you know
- Tell a funder you already work with about the coalition and this year. Forward our announcement or make an introduction. To talk through an approach first, write to hello@caschoolgardens.org and we will connect you with Vicki Moore of Living Classroom, who leads these conversations for the coalition.
Who has funded this work
Thank you to the organizations that have funded our work. Living Classroom, Growing Together, Sage Garden Project, The School Garden Doctor and Ventura County Farm to School funded our project management through 2025. Growing Together's support carried the 2026 advocacy campaign, along with the leadership team's own hours. Garden School Foundation, Living Classroom, Life Lab and One Cool Earth were the first to give toward this year's $80,000.