What started as a federal grant has blossomed into a countywide movement connecting Sullivan County farms with school cafeterias — and reshaping how students experience lunch.
The School Nutrition Action Coalition, supported by partners including Sullivan 180, Cornell Cooperative Extension and local school districts, formed when Sullivan 180 received a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant last year aimed at strengthening ties between local farms and schools.
“The USDA grant was really what brought everyone to the table,” said Denise Frangipane, executive director of Sullivan 180. “The goal was to build a collaboration around getting a better connection between our local regional farms and our school cafeterias.”
The coalition now includes every school district in Sullivan County, along with food service directors, staff, and community organizations. Together, they’re working toward a shared vision: providing two free, healthy, locally sourced meals each day to every student — and making the cafeteria a place where food is celebrated.
A New Kind of Lunchroom
When the coalition began, universal free meals were still a dream. But that vision is now reality. New York State last year passed universal free school meals for all students — a change that helps make the coalition’s work more impactful.
“Our goal is to really enhance the lunch experience,” Frangipane said. “It’s not just about what’s on the plate, but about making the lunchroom a happy, educational space — a place where students want to be.”
That means introducing students to fresh, local foods — and helping them understand where those foods come from and why they matter.
“For some of our students, this may be the only meal they get in a day,” Frangipane said. “So it’s our best shot at giving them something healthy and nourishing.”
From Chicken Nuggets to Carnitas
For Dara Williams, food service director at Sullivan West Central School District, the shift toward scratch cooking and local sourcing has been both a challenge and a dream fulfilled.
“This has been something I’ve dreamed of since I became a school lunch manager,” Williams said. “The idea that local farms could supply products we could prepare and serve — it’s really exciting.”
The change, however, means more work in the kitchen. Gone are the days of heat-and-serve frozen meals. Now, staff spend their days washing, peeling, slicing, dicing, and cooking from scratch.
“It takes a whole team, every day, to make it happen,” Williams said. “But it’s worth it. We love doing it.”
Williams said the district works closely with local farmers to source fresh meat and produce — often on a first-name basis.
“I’ll call up Tony Campanelli and say, ‘Hey Tony, how you doing? Can I get some chicken?’” she said with a laugh. “And he says, ‘No problem, Dara. Whatever you need.’ It’s great to have that relationship.”
Stretching Every Dollar
Despite the enthusiasm, challenges remain — especially around cost.
School meal programs rely primarily on USDA reimbursements, which Williams said hover around $4.75 per lunch. That has to cover everything from food to labor to supplies.
“We have to be creative and frugal,” she said. “There are procurement rules, bidding processes, and documentation. It’s not easy. But we’ve come a long way.”
Teaching Through Taste
For Joy Leon, nutrition and physical activity educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County, connecting food, learning, and community is at the heart of the effort.
“When Sullivan 180 received the farm-to-school grant, the goal was to connect the cafeteria, the classroom, and the community,” Leon said. “That involves almost everyone in Sullivan County.”
Leon and her team help schools organize taste tests, where students sample new menu items and vote on what they like using sticker boards.
“It’s a fun way for students to engage,” she said. “Given the opportunity, kids will try new things.”
One recent hit at Sullivan West: a turkey carnita rice bowl, which nearly sold out. Next on the menu — a chicken and vegetable lo mein bowl.
Crunching Into Community
This fall, the coalition is marking the Big Apple Crunch, a statewide celebration of New York-grown apples. Each student will bite into a local apple around the same time in October — a simple, shared act that highlights the bounty of local agriculture.
Other upcoming events include farm-to-school days, classroom nutrition lessons, and school gardens.
At Sullivan West Elementary, a Farm to School Fair on October 16 will feature local farmers, food vendors, and even farm animals for students to meet.
“It’s one of our favorite days of the year,” Williams said. “The students love it.”
Feeding the Future
Beyond the events and the meals, Frangipane said the coalition is building something bigger — a sustainable, community-based food culture that supports both students and local farmers.
“We’re holding Sullivan County up as a model for other communities,” she said. “If we can accomplish this here, I think you can accomplish it anywhere.”
Because for these partners, lunch isn’t just lunch — it’s an opportunity to learn, to nourish, and to connect.
“Food is better when it’s shared,” Frangipane said. “And through this coalition, we’re sharing something really meaningful with our students — and our whole community.”
Image Credit: Sullivan 180