FARM TO SCHOOL
FARM TO SCHOOL programs help students gain access to healthier, fresher food while creating sustainable partnerships between schools and local growers.
nOURish BRIDGEPORT partners with area school districts to provide fresh leafy greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers grown in our own INDOOR HYDROPONIC FARM.
This produce is harvested locally and delivered for use in school lunches, helping students enjoy vegetables that are fresher, more appealing, and more nutritious.
The benefits reach beyond the cafeteria. FARM TO SCHOOL programs can increase vegetable consumption, reduce food waste, support nutrition education, and help students build healthier eating habits.
Why This Program MattersHealthy Food Access Starts Early
Children growing up in communities with limited access to affordable, nutritious food face greater barriers to developing healthy eating habits.
Regular consumption of low-quality, highly processed foods can affect a child’s health, energy, concentration, and long-term well-being.
Access to fresh vegetables and fruit during childhood can influence food preferences and health outcomes over a lifetime.
By introducing locally grown produce directly into school meals, nOURish BRIDGEPORT is helping challenge a system in which access to healthy food often depends on where a child lives or what their family can afford.
Our goal is to build a better model that places student health, equitable food access, and community well-being first.
Freshly Grown and Delivered Locally
Produce for the FARM TO SCHOOL program is grown year-round inside the nOURish BRIDGEPORT INDOOR HYDROPONIC FARM.
Our controlled indoor growing systems allow us to harvest fresh vegetables throughout Connecticut’s changing seasons.
After harvesting, produce is prepared and delivered to participating school districts for use in student meals.
Because the vegetables are grown nearby and delivered shortly after harvest, students receive food that is fresh, crisp, and appealing.
This local model also gives schools a direct connection to the source of their food and creates opportunities for students to learn how vegetables are grown.
Students Are Excited About Fresh Food
“The salads are all the rage among students and staff alike! Most appreciate that these ingredients are locally grown and delivered to our school freshly picked.”
“This freshness is especially appealing to students who weren’t traditionally salad lovers but are now excited to try these tasty, crunchy varieties.”
“Lunchtime has become an exciting event. Students who previously considered vegetables boring now look forward to enjoying these wholesome, nutritious meals.”
Partner With Farm to School
The FARM TO SCHOOL program depends on school districts, educators, donors, volunteers, and community partners who believe all students deserve access to nutritious food.
School partners can work with nOURish BRIDGEPORT to introduce locally grown produce into student meals and create meaningful connections between food, health, and education.
Donor support helps fund seeds, nutrients, equipment, harvesting, packaging, and delivery to participating schools.
Together, we can help more students discover that healthy food can also be fresh, enjoyable, and something worth looking forward to.
Become a School Partner Support Farm to School