At this time last year, we shared that Whole Kids Foundation's founding Executive Director Nona Evans was retiring. After which, I assumed the role of Interim Executive Director at Whole Kids Foundation and Whole Cities. It's been a year of evolution and remarkable achievements for the organization, and we want to share our good news.
In 2023, Whole Kids Foundation invested over $4.6M to transform school food and positively impact kids' relationships with food in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. We sponsored the inaugural ScratchWorks Gathering, which brought food service leaders from more than 100 school districts to Austin for professional development, networking, and honoring the critical work of nourishing our children. Additionally, Whole Cities committed over $800,000 to fund long-term food access solutions and nutrition education in communities across the U.S. and Canada. We have a lot to celebrate this year!
Notably, we have also added incredible expertise to our Board of Directors. We are thrilled to introduce our new Board of Directors, including Whole Foods Market Chief Executive Officer Jason Buechel, who recently volunteered with Whole Foods Market Team Members in the field at Friends of Zenger Farm, a 2023 Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant recipient in Portland.
Jason Buechel
Scott Collier
Glenda Flanagan
Byron Kentor
Catherine Kiely
Keith Manbeck, Chairman of the Board
Carol Medeiros
Brian O’Connell
Matt Ray
David Schwartz
Jeff Turnas
Alyssa Vescio
Patricia Yost
Learn more about the members of our Board, who will leverage their deep experience to help us transform the way students eat and think about food in 2024 and beyond. Stay tuned! Good things are ahead.
Farm to Cafeteria Canada is working to transform how food is experienced, learned and celebrated in all schools across Canada. They support schools by sharing tools and resources, connecting them with partners and local food providers in their communities, providing funds through grant programs, and informing supportive policy that’s needed to transform school food systems.