LIBERTY, NY — Food service professionals gathered recently for a two-day conference at the Michael Ritchie Big Barn. There they learned about the power of food from the Center for Discovery’s Department of Nourishment Arts, were certified in Serv Safe by SUNY Sullivan and participated in hands-on food preparation in a workshop led by Lennox Hill Teaching Kitchen.

The conference was presented by the School Nutrition Action Coalition, a network of organizations and Sullivan County schools working together to bring two free, healthy, plant-heavy meals for every student every day in Sullivan County schools. 

Food service staff explored the ways that, by cooking from scratch (with whole, fresh ingredients), school food programs can provide tasty and nutritious meals for students.

“School breakfast and lunch are so important to the physical health and learning of our students. The idea of this conference was to inspire scratch cooking and offer resources to support that goal,” said Sullivan 180 CEO Denise Frangipane. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated individuals working in our schools. Several people said how much they appreciate the time together and the hands-on experience.”

“Many of the items used throughout the conference were sourced from our own local farms, including Burns Farm, Somewhere in Time, Sprouting Dreams and the Center’s Thanksgiving Farm,” said Audrey Garro, executive director of A Single Bite. She added that the items reflected the produce the program would source for school cafeterias in the county.

“Working to bring fresh, healthy foods to our kids is just one way to keep local dollars circulating in our home community, while promoting healthy outcomes for young people where they’re at,” said Melinda Meddaugh, CCE Sullivan Ag & Food Systems issue leader.

Sullivan 180 facilitates the coalition with support from a USDA grant. The coalition includes A Single Bite + the Catskills Food Hub; CCE Sullivan; Harvest New York; Sullivan BOCES; Sullivan 180; SUNY Sullivan; The Center for Discovery; and the Fallsburg, Liberty, Livingston Manor, Monticello, Roscoe and Sullivan West school districts.

To learn more call Sullivan 180 at 845/295-2680.