# FoodCorps > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/FoodCorps > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/FoodCorps.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FoodCorps > Source revision: 1357085805 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2011}} {{Infobox organization | name = FoodCorps, Inc. | logo = | type = [Nonprofit organization](/source/Nonprofit_organization) | founded = 2010 | founder = | location = | origins = | key_people = [Curt Ellis](/source/Curtis_Ellis) – ''Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer''
Debra Eschmeyer – ''Co-Founder'' | region_served = | focus = | method = | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = 205 [AmeriCorps](/source/AmeriCorps) service members | owner = | website = http://www.foodcorps.org | tax_exempt = | dissolved = | footnotes = }} '''FoodCorps''' is an American [non-profit organization](/source/non-profit_organization) whose mission is to work with communities to "connect kids to healthy food in school."[https://foodcorps.org/about About FoodCorps]{{Cite web |date=2023-06-04 |title=Kudos: Ellie Vance reaps a harvest as FoodCorps teacher at Lewiston schools |url=https://www.sunjournal.com/2023/06/04/kudos-ellie-vance-reaps-a-harvest-as-foodcorps-teacher-at-lewiston-schools/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=Lewiston Sun Journal}} FoodCorps places service members in limited-resource communities where they spend a year working with teachers and students to establish farm to school programs, incorporate nutrition education into school curricula, plant school gardens, and engage in other initiatives to improve school food.Mark Bittman, [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/foods-new-foot-soldiers/ Food’s New Foot Soldiers] ''The New York Times'', Aug. 13, 2011.{{Cite web |title=FoodCorps' new program gives kids a say in their cafeteria |url=https://www.foodservicedirector.com/cafes/foodcorps-new-program-gives-kids-a-say-in-their-cafeteria |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=www.foodservicedirector.com |language=en}} Like [Teach for America](/source/Teach_for_America) and [Habitat for Humanity](/source/Habitat_for_Humanity), FoodCorps is a grantee of [AmeriCorps](/source/AmeriCorps).[http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/launching-today-foodcorps-americorps-for-food.html Serious Eats Launching Today: FoodCorps, 'AmeriCorps for Food'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110510080434/http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/launching-today-foodcorps-americorps-for-food.html |date=May 10, 2011 }}, ''Serious Eats'' April 27, 2010 ==History== FoodCorps was founded in 2010 by six people: * [Curt Ellis](/source/Curtis_Ellis), co-creator of the documentary ''[King Corn](/source/King_Corn_(film))'' {{cite news |last1=Upton |first1=Cecily |title=Angry About Bad School Lunches? You Can Go Help Food Corps: A New Organization to Fix America's Food Problems |url=https://www.good.is/articles/food-corps-a-new-organization-to-fix-america-s-food-problems |access-date=2 June 2024 |publisher=Good Worldwide, Inc. |date=December 26, 2010}} and recipient of the [Heinz Award](/source/Heinz_Award){{cite web|url=http://www.heinzawards.net/recipients/ian-cheney-curt-ellis |title=Ian Cheney + Curt Ellis |publisher=The Heinz Awards |date=September 16, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2011}} * Debra Eschmeyer, formerly of the [National Farm to School Network](/source/Farm_to_School) and recipient of the [James Beard Foundation](/source/James_Beard_Foundation) Leadership Award.{{cite web |url=http://www.jbffoodconference.org/2011/09/30/meet-jbf-leadership-award-winner-debra-eschmeyer/ |title=Meet JBF Leadership Award Winner Debra Eschmeyer |publisher=JBF Food Conference |date= |access-date=November 20, 2011 |archive-date=April 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425150715/http://www.jbffoodconference.org/2011/09/30/meet-jbf-leadership-award-winner-debra-eschmeyer/ |url-status=dead }} After serving as FoodCorps' vice president of external affairs for several years, Eschmeyer became executive director of [Michelle Obama](/source/Michelle_Obama)'s Let’s Move! initiative and senior policy advisor for Nutrition Policy at the [White House](/source/White_House).{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/01/08/east-wing-announcement |title=East Wing Announcement |date=January 8, 2015 |via=National Archives |work=whitehouse.gov |access-date=October 26, 2015}} * Cecily Upton, formerly of [Slow Food USA](/source/Slow_Food_USA) * Crissie McMullan, founder and former director of the [VISTA](/source/AmeriCorps_VISTA) Farm to School program in Montana * Jerusha Klemperer, associate director of National Programs for Slow Food USA * [Ian Cheney](/source/Ian_Cheney), co-founder of the [Yale Sustainable Food Project](/source/Yale_Sustainable_Food_Project) and co-creator of ''King Corn'' Two of the six cofounders, Ellis and Upton, still work with the organization as chief executive officer and VP of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, respectively.{{cite web |url=https://foodcorps.org/about/our-team |title=Our Team |publisher=FoodCorps |access-date=October 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905195423/https://foodcorps.org/about/our-team |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |df=mdy-all }} ==Function== FoodCorps’ mission statement is: "Together with communities, FoodCorps serves to connect kids to healthy food in school."{{cite web|author=Christopher Chemsak |url=http://foodcorps.org/about |title=Food Corps website |publisher=Foodcorps.org |date= |access-date=November 20, 2011}} FoodCorps works by placing service members on year-long service stints at community-based Service Sites, where they work in low income public schools to improve nutrition. Statewide Host Sites oversee the Service Sites within each state in which FoodCorps operates.[http://foodcorps.org/news/foodcorps-on-nbc-nightly-news Out With the Pizza, In With the Veggies] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001233219/http://foodcorps.org/news/foodcorps-on-nbc-nightly-news |date=October 1, 2011 }} NBC Nightly News, Sept. 19, 2011 FoodCorps service members are individuals generally from age 18 to age 30, with backgrounds in agriculture, nutrition, health and food policy. They are paid a modest stipend ($15,000, health insurance, student loan forbearance, and a $5,500 Education Award)Mark Bittman, [http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/foods-new-foot-soldiers/ Food’s New Foot Soldiers] ''The New York Times'', Aug. 13, 2011. to perform a year of food and nutrition-related service inside local schools. The applicants are screened through a competitive vetting process (in FoodCorps’ first year, 1,229 candidates applied for 50 spots).Jane Black, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/foodcorps-steps-in-to-help-schools-do-what-they-couldnt-otherwise-afford/2011/09/26/gIQAs2UJLL_story.html "FoodCorps steps in to help schools do what they couldn’t otherwise afford"], ''The Washington Post'', Oct. 4, 2011. The first FoodCorps class has 50 members. FoodCorps states that it hopes to have 1,000 Service Members in all 50 states by 2020.Jane Black, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/foodcorps-steps-in-to-help-schools-do-what-they-couldnt-otherwise-afford/2011/09/26/gIQAs2UJLL_story.html "FoodCorps steps in to help schools do what they couldn’t otherwise afford"], ''The Washington Post'', Oct. 4, 2011. Service sites are community-based organizations that offer direct service opportunities in the fields of food and nutrition education, school gardens, and local procurement for school food systems. These are the locations to which service members report for day-to-day service. There are 41 service sites.{{cite web |url=http://foodcorps.org/our-structure |title=Host & Service Sites — FoodCorps |publisher=Foodcorps.org |access-date=November 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128052835/http://foodcorps.org/our-structure |archive-date=November 28, 2011 |df=mdy-all }} Host sites are FoodCorps’ statewide partners which oversee the service sites. They are generally non-profit organizations, educational institutions or public agencies. In most cases, host sites determine the communities and non-profit organizations with which Members will work, and help create training and orientation opportunities for FoodCorps service members.{{cite web |url=http://foodcorps.org/our-structure |title=Host & Service Sites — FoodCorps |publisher=Foodcorps.org |access-date=November 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128052835/http://foodcorps.org/our-structure |archive-date=November 28, 2011 |df=mdy-all }} The Host Site partners are:[https://foodcorps.org/where-we-work FoodCorps], Nov. 24, 2015. * Arizona: The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health * Arkansas: [National Center for Appropriate Technology](/source/National_Center_for_Appropriate_Technology) * California: Community Alliance with Family Farmers and Life Lab * Connecticut: University of Connecticut Extension * Georgia: Georgia Organics * Hawaii: The Kohala Center * Iowa: Iowa State University Extension * Maine: University of Maine Cooperative Extension * Massachusetts: [The Food Project](/source/The_Food_Project) * Michigan: Michigan State University Extension * Mississippi: National Center for Appropriate Technology * Montana: National Center for Appropriate Technology * New Jersey: Rutgers Cooperative Extension * New Mexico: University of New Mexico, Office of Community Learning and Public Service and Farm to Table New Mexico * New York: Edible Schoolyard NYC * North Carolina: Center for Environmental Farming Systems and North Carolina [4-H](/source/4-H) * Oregon: [Oregon Department of Agriculture](/source/Oregon_Department_of_Agriculture) * Washington, D.C.: Office of the State Superintendent of Education ==Philosophy== FoodCorps service members rely on a three-pillared model to accomplish their goal of creating a healthy food environment:{{cite web |url=http://www.thefastertimes.com/foodpolitics/2011/05/27/tft-interview-debra-eschmeyer-of-foodcorps/ |title=TFT Interview: Debra Eschmeyer of FoodCorps |publisher=Thefastertimes.com |date=May 27, 2011 |access-date=November 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203205916/http://www.thefastertimes.com/foodpolitics/2011/05/27/tft-interview-debra-eschmeyer-of-foodcorps/ |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |url-status=usurped }} * Food and nutrition education to teach kids what healthy food is * School gardens to engage kids and community volunteers * Farm to school programs to put local food in school lunch ==See also== * [AmeriCorps](/source/AmeriCorps) * [Childhood obesity](/source/Childhood_obesity) * [Farm-to-school](/source/Farm-to-school) ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== * [http://foodcorps.org/ FoodCorps] Category:Non-profit organizations based in the United States Category:Education in the United States Category:Service year programs in the United States Category:American organizations established in 2010 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [FoodCorps](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FoodCorps) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FoodCorps?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.