The Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program is helping to transform the school lunch choices for our kids by offering a combination of purchased and gleaned foods from Marin Organic farms to participating schools throughout the county. "Gleaned" food is produce which would otherwise be left in the fields because it doesn't meet the strict aesthetic requirements of restaurants and retail markets. This can account for up to 20% of what is grown, and throughout the year may include potatoes, squashes, spinach, leeks, beets, carrots, arugula, lettuces, meats, eggs, yogurt, ice cream and more!

So far, 90,000 pounds of local, certified organic products have been gleaned and delivered to participating schools, camps, and underserved communities throughout Marin, offsetting their costs and therefore allowing them to serve local and organic options while staying within their limited budgets. Each week the program enables 12,000 children to eat organic foods grown from Marin soils.

All Marin Organic foods are certified organic, from farms within a 15 mile radius, and delivered from farms to schools often on the same day and always within 24 hours. Now that’s local! Marin Organic acts as the liaison between farmers and schools, as the fiscal sponsor, as well as the distributor. An updated product availability list is sent to participating schools on Thursday mornings, orders are received by Friday afternoons, and all foods are delivered to schools and community centers with our biodiesel-powered truck on Tuesdays.

For more information on the largest USDA meat recall, please visit:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Recall_005-2008_Release.pdf
http://www.marinij.com/health/ci_8294735
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june08/beef_02-18.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2147517220080221

To support the Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program and become a partner in our work, please click here:
http://www.marinorganic.org/become_partner.php

For a visual on this exciting program, please watch our short video at www.marinorganic.tv. If you are a school or community center and would like to participate in this exciting program, please contact Program Manager Scott Davidson at 415.663.9667 or scott@marinorganic.org.

Marin Organic Partners in the School Lunch Program