2. Aubree Durfey Mary Stein, MS
Farm to School Assistant Farm to School Coordinator
Montana Team Nutrition Program Montana Team Nutrition Program
aubreedurfey@gmail.com mstein@montana.edu
(406) 581-8209 (406) 994-5640
4. Healthy Fundraising Supports
School Wellness Policies
Child Nutrition and WIC
Reauthorization Act of 2004, the
U.S. Congress established a new
requirement that all school
districts with a federally-funded
school meals program develop
and implement wellness policies
that address nutrition and
physical activity by the start of
the 2006-2007 school year.
7. A Fundraising Concept that is Aligned
with Farm to School Endeavors…
Farm to School serves to:
– Promote healthy eating habits
and reduce risk of obesity and
other health related disorders
in children.
– Connect the school meals
program to local agricultural
products
– Serve as an experiential avenue
for nutrition and agricultural
education
– Support local farmers and
ranchers
– Enhance community awareness
about local food systems
9. PILOT: From Farms to Schools
Fundraiser
• Fall 2008
• 2 schools sold $18,000
of 12 Montana food
products
• All the money stayed in
Montana
• 40% to schools, 60% to
producers
• Healthy fundraising
items
10. Harvest Montana Fundraiser – GVF2S
• Fall 2009 in Bozeman area
• 6 schools
• Division 60% Vendors, 40% Schools, 10% GVF2S
• 10 products, price range $6 to $30
• Total sales of $37,700
11. Harvest Montana Fundraiser – GVF2S
• Fall 2010
• 7 schools, Bozeman
• 50% Vendors, 40%
Schools, 10% GVF2S
• 17 products, $5 to $50
• Total sales: $59,496
17. Step 1: Read Up
Download How-to Guide, past reports,
and templates at:
http://opi.mt.gov/Farm2SchoolFundRais
ing/
18. Step 2: Get Support
Develop Bring together Estimate
reasons for key players and number of
the fundraiser get approval participants
19. Step 3: Make Goals
• What are you raising money for?
• How much do you need to raise?
• Division of retail prices
• Education?
…Template time!
20. Step 4: Set Timeline
• Set specific dates for your fundraiser ahead of
time
• Pick your sell dates and work from there
• Allow plenty of time (3 months!)
…Template time!
21. Step 5: Chose Products & Vendors
Product guidelines & helpful tips:
– Use local resources to locate vendors (ie. Made in
Montana database)
– Unique products that are gift-able
– Avoid highly perishable or items that do not ship
well
– Special considerations for uncooked/uncured meats
– Keep the focus on healthy foods
– Avoid non-food or agricultural products
– Keep local a priority
– Communicate clearly & often
23. Step 6: Create Brochure & Materials
• Brochure & materials should:
– Be attractive
– Match (brand your fundraiser)
– Be easy to read and handle
– Fit your needs and budget
• Possible materials include:
– Brochure/Order form (together or separate)
– Posters, Announcements & Fliers
– Instructions sheets
– Educational items
24. Step 7: Create a “Buzz”
Announcements & Community wide
Incentives/Prizes
reminders advertising & media
• Field Trips • In school • News media –
• Tickets • Send-home write a press
• Gift cards announcements release
• In class “parties” • Posters • Community
• Kick-off calendars
• Recess time
assemblies • Posters in
• Recognition
• Other educational businesses and
opportunities high-traffic areas
• Partner
organizations &
businesses
25. Step 8: Sell Away!
•Ensure that begin and end dates are very clear
•Provide reminders and encouragement
•Arrange with teachers or group leaders to collect
the order forms
•Make sure students know to collect money at
time of sale
26. Step 9: Delivery Day
Order pick-up
Separation
Distribution to participants
Distribution to customers
27. Step 10: Follow-up, Celebrate, & Reflect
•Promptly correct mistakes
•Collect feedback
•Write a end-of-fundraiser article
•Celebrate! Thank the organizers, families, and
participants
•Consider summarizing sales, feedback, lessons
learned and sharing with the national community
Virtually all schools in America raise funds to pay for supplies and equipment and to supplement other school activities. Most schools hold several fundraisers per year… school fundraisers are very commonplaceBut what are schools most often selling? Candy, cookies, junkfood - most coming from distant locales.Fundraising provides a perfect opportunity to make healthy change in a school.NEXT SLIDE ! "!#$!!%!!%
Beginning in the fall of 2006, all schools participating in the national school meals programs MUST adopt a wellness policy that addresses:Nutrition quality of the food available THROUGHOUT the school environment Opportunity for physical activity throughout the dayFundraising with junkfood definitely falls within the realm of the these policies that are now in place in schools throughout the country. So schools are looking for ideas and alternatives for raising funds WHILE supporting student wellness.NEXT SLIDE
Why… what is up with student wellness?FROM CDC: Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.1,2Obesity is the result of caloric imbalance (too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed) and is mediated by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.3,4 Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term health impacts:Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.5Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.3,6Obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.6So how do fundraisers weigh in here?NEXT SLIDE
At the risk of being a complete killjoy - I will state unequivocally - the stuff we’ve been selling through school fundraisers has not been helping to teach our kids about healthy eating. Take a look…Butter braidsCookie doughCookiesChocolateAll delicious, I’m sure… but where’s the balance? Can we do things differently?I think so.NEXT SLIDE
From NFSN: “Farm to School enables every child to have access to nutritiousfood while simultaneously benefiting communities and local farmers.In addition to supplying nourishing, locally grown and produced foodin schools, Farm to School programs offer nutrition and agricultureeducation through taste tests, school gardens, composting programs,and farm tours. Such experiences help children understand wheretheir food comes from and how their food choices affect their bodies,environment, and community.”NEXT SLIDE
Thus… the Harvest Montana Fundraiser was born….In 2007 - the Montana Team Nutrition Program received a grant to do a pilot program exploring this concept of a healthy, local food focused fundraiser. And it worked…NEXT SLIDE
- Fall 20082 schools: one k-5, one k-8
GVF2S has organized the Harvest Montana Fundraiser for Bozeman area schools for 2 years and is working on the 2011 fundraiser. In 2009: 6 schools: 5 elementary, 1 K-8Division 60% Vendors, 40% Schools, and 10% additional administrative Sales
Fall 20107 schools , 6 elementary, 1 K-5Division: Incorporated the 10% and reduced the vendors %, had to increase retail prices for some of the items to make up for the reduced priceIncreased number of products and vendors and included two meat products by using a voucherIncreased sales Top seller sold $701!
Fall 20107 schools , 6 elementary, 1 K-5Division: Incorporated the 10% and reduced the vendors %, had to increase retail prices for some of the items to make up for the reduced priceIncreased number of products and vendors and included two meat products by using a voucherIncreased sales Top seller sold $701!
1. Montana Team Nutrition Program is helping THREE 4-H groups from around the state will be organizing the fundraiser in their area =1. 2. Resources developed to help these groups organize: simple guide, how-to guide, templates for the order form and background for the brochure (matches the slide) - These are available for anyone to download and use
Healthy Idaho Fundraiser in 2008, no additional information is available
There are many fundraisers out there, and it is a great idea to go out there and check out what folks are currently doing for their fundraisers. It can also help you track down vendors and products.The information on the Farm to School Fundraising website is very helpful
Develop reasons for the fundraiser – Local, healthy fundraiser… want to connect children to their agricultural surroundings…. Know who you need to get approval from – parent organization, other organization, school, etc.Estimate number of participants and which schools or groups will be participating
Important to make goals for the fundraiser so you know how much effort you need to put in and how long you will need to take to organize. Questions to answer on template (slide)
Set a SPECIFIC timeline dividing responsibilities - Consider important dates such as PIR days, parent-teacher conferences, holidays, etc. 2. Pick sell dates and work from there …. Highlighted on template - Fall is a nice time due to holiday gift-giving and meals3. Allow 3 months for organizing4. For template, just take a few minutes to pick a selling period, think about what works best for your school or group and determine when you should start planning
To maintain the integrity of this program, we ask that groups follow the product guidelines, which also serve as helpful tips Basic framework: Healthy, Local, FoodMore in-depth: Use Local Resources – databases, farmers markets, local food directories, etc. Unique products that aren’t readily available in stores and that are something that would be given as a gift – pictures should represent what packaging it comes it Avoid highly perishable items since they will be difficult to work with or that people cannot ship fairly easily (such as bulky baskets)Special considerations for raw frozen meats – GVF2S has had success in the past giving people who order the sausage or roast a voucher that the customer redeems at the store. Check with your county sanitarian before proceeding, they can really help you. Make sure ALL products meet regulations. Focus on HEALTHY foods, or products that support a healthy lifestyle, limit the number of cookies, candies, jellies, sweet bread mixes, etc. to 25% of the product mixLimit non-food products or those that do not contain any agricultural products. Non-food products that can really work are: lotions, soaps, or candles that contain local goat’s milk or beeswax, seeds, or gardening implementsMake local a priority- look what is available in your immediate area and work out from there. Communicate clearly & often with vendors. Make sure they are on the same page and understand the responsibilities, quantities, pricing, dates, etc. You don’t want a vendor to leave you high and dry. - Approximate number of individuals participating in fundraiser - The length of the selling period, - Estimated sales (numbers) for their product, - Time frame between when the order is placed and when the product needs to be delivered (recommended at least two weeks), - When and where product is to be delivered - Percentage of the retail price to be received by vendor (50-60% is recommended) - The participating vendors must be able to provide enough product to fulfill all orders in the given timeframe.
Set a SPECIFIC timeline dividing responsibilities - Consider important dates such as PIR days, parent-teacher conferences, holidays, etc. 2. Pick sell dates and work from there …. Highlighted on template - Fall is a nice time due to holiday gift-giving and meals3. Allow 3 months for organizing4. For template, just take a few minutes to pick a selling period, think about what works best for your school or group and determine when you should start planning
TEMPLATE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: Who can do the design? ______________________________________________________How many brochures/order forms will you need to print? _____________________How much will the design cost? $_____________Determine your printing costs: $_____________What other brochures/order forms/printed materials will be needed? (Additional materials can include posters, seller instruction sheets, announcements, reminder announcements, etc.)
TEMPLATE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: Who can do the design? ______________________________________________________How many brochures/order forms will you need to print? _____________________How much will the design cost? $_____________Determine your printing costs: $_____________What other brochures/order forms/printed materials will be needed? (Additional materials can include posters, seller instruction sheets, announcements, reminder announcements, etc.)
Order pick-up (Vendors deliver): Choose a specific date and time for vendors to deliver, spacing them out Find an easily accessible location such as a storage unit, garage, etc. that will allow you enough space to easily maneuverIf more than one school or group participating, then separate to school/group orders, Separate into participant orders – Be very careful here, this is where a lot of mistake happen. Retain the original or copy of the order form to fill the orders and then attach to orderParticipants pick up orders (call ahead for any large or bulky orders) at a designated time & location and deliver to individual customers