New England Food Vision Prize Awards Funds to Salvation Farms

New England Food Vision Prize Awards Funds to Salvation Farms 
Preserving surplus produce to aid sourcing local food for schools

Photo Caption: Jeff Brynn, Director of Food Service for Lamoille South Supervisory Union received a sample of frozen product from Salvation Farms in 2014.

The Henry P. Kendall Foundation’s 2023 New England Food Vision Prize has been granted to Salvation Farms, one of nine award recipients across New England.

The New England Food Vision Prize, named for the regional goal of producing 50% of New England’s food within the region by 2060, was launched in 2018 by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation. Its focus is to combine the food purchasing power of educational institutions in the region with the engagement of its students – the future consumers in the region – to increase the amount of regionally produced food on their menus.

Salvation Farms’ two-year award of $168,875 will support their creation of a frozen food product line for K-12 schools utilizing locally-grown, surplus crops. The organization will work closely with its project partners, the Lamoille South Supervisory Union, Lamoille North Supervisory Union & School District, and The Abbey Group, to develop the product line and serve schools in the Lamoille Valley and beyond.

“The New England Food Vision Prize is designed to resource the innovative ideas of community organizations and their school partners working together to increase locally grown food in schools. Salvation Farms’ project was one of the most creative ideas and smart solutions to the challenges our schools face in procuring more local food for their students. We are thrilled to see this effort move forward!” says Beth Zschau, Program Officer, Henry P. Kendall Foundation.

Salvation Farms began its production of frozen foods more than ten years ago using surplus produce donated by farmers to create frozen food for food shelves and senior meal programs. Expanding its frozen food distribution to institutions like schools gives the organization the opportunity to purchase surplus produce from farms, creating a new market for Vermont farmers. Salvation Farms will use their award to cover costs such as kitchen rental, personnel, supplies, equipment, and indirect program costs.

To learn more about Salvation Farms, visit www.salvationfarms.org. 

To learn more about the Kendall Foundation, visit www.kendall.org.

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Salvation Farms mission is to build increased resilience in Vermont’s food system through agricultural surplus management. Their primary goals include: reducing food loss on farms, increasing the use of locally grown foods, fostering an appreciation for Vermont’s agricultural heritage and future, and supporting a more socially and environmentally just food system. 

Launched by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation in 2018, the New England Food Vision Prize Program aims to increase the amount of local and regional food prepared and served on New England college and university campuses and within K-12 public school districts, helping to strengthen the region’s food system. The Prize program, offered annually, awards grants up to $200,000 to winning teams. Prizes are awarded to projects that build resilience, relationships, and capacity within New England’s academic institutional food supply chain, resulting in increased preparation, sourcing, serving, or use and consumption of local and regional food at K-12 schools and higher education institutions.