Cutting the fat from a food budget isn't always easy to do, but some local school districts are teaming up with area farmers to get more for less.
"We're real excited to be informed in June that we're recipients of a grant. We've been working with the Alliance for Economic Success who actually helped us get this grant. The vision of this is to be working and getting more farm fresh foods into the schools," said Renee DeWindt, Food Service Director for Benzie area schools.
One local farmer, Paul May, has been selling eggs to DeWindt and the Benzie County school district for years.
May says, "Folks from the Michigan Land Use Institute, the Farm to School Program, told my wife one day when she came into town that we should sell our eggs to the school, and I was a little ambivalent about it; I already had customers for all my eggs, but I finally brought some in and met Renee. The second time I delivered eggs to the Frankfort school, Renee told me that the kids had noticed a difference in the breakfast, that it was better... the impact that it has in your community is nothing but positive and it can be positive for the producer too, as it has been for me."
DeWindt says, "So, partnering everybody together to get better food to the kids and also working with the economic situation here in Benzie County and Manistee County; the surrounding counties and working, getting more money, Federal dollars to some of our local farmers."
The project is still in it's beginning stages and they are looking for more farmers to get involved. For more information, contact Renee DeWindt at 231.651.9035.
