2008, 2009, 2011 Grant Recipient: Corvallis Environmental Center

Update: May, 2012

The Corvallis Environmental Center (CEC) in Oregon has provided the Consumer Wellness Center with a new report on what their Farm to School program has accomplished in recent months.

Click here to read this report (PDF, Adobe Reader required)

Update: December, 2011

The Corvallis Environmental Center (CEC) in Oregon has used its previous awards to fund its "Farm to School Program," which brings local produce samples into schools for tastings, and teaches students about food and nutrition. CEC will use this year's grant to continue the program, as well as offer farm field trips and after-school cooking clubs to younger students.

Update: June, 2010

CEC used the bulk of its Nutritional Grant Award money to purchase the produce needed to stock all the tasting tables, as well as to purchase additional tasting tables. A portion of the money was used to print additional educational materials and the Tasting Table Passports.

“The kids have really enjoyed the tasting tables,” said Elise Bradley, 1st grade teacher at Hoover Elementary. “A number of the children haven’t tasted the foods [before], so they are tasting something new. They definitely are learning about what foods are grown in our region.”

The tasting table program is one way the Corvallis school district is building relationships with farmers to increase the amount of local food served in school.

Update: January, 2009

"I just wanted to update you on the exciting progress we are making as we begin a new school year. Our goal was to expand our program of holding monthly tasting tables of local, fresh produce at Corvallis public schools -- and it is happening! So far this year we have 5 of the 8 elementary schools participating, and we hope that the other 3 will begin in the next few months. The School District's Food and Nutrition Services is 100% in support of the program, and is helping us out by distributing food samples through its central kitchen, and even offering to prepare food when necessary in their certified kitchen. Parent and school volunteers are staffing the tables, which keeps the program local and our costs down.
Thank you again for your support; the funding we received from Consumer Wellness Center was so helpful in launching us along this path."