Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
The Good Food Buffalo Coalition is dedicated to bringing the Good Food Purchasing Program to Western New York. The coalition aims to shift food procurement practices in Buffalo Public Schools by focusing on sustainability, community values, and nutritional equity. By moving away from the lowest bidder system, the coalition seeks to prioritize nutrition, workers' rights, sustainability, animal welfare, and local economies. We want Buffalo Public Schools to provide food in a way that supports these values and goals. The coalition hosts listening sessions to gather opinions and ideas to develop an action plan guiding the coalition’s work moving forward. To synthesize key components brought forth by participants, we analyze and transcribe the audio recordings, pictures, and the physical data gathered from the sessions. Community members can directly support the implementation of their own key concerns, ideas, and potential solutions into the school food system through this process. Key findings from this research show community members' emphasis on the nutritional quality of school food and knowing what is being fed to their children. Community members also support the implementation of kitchens in schools, greater staff training, and the involvement of parents, teachers, and nutritionists in food-related decisions. All of these findings help to show us where to direct our work and support. Through these initiatives, the coalition aims to create lasting, community-driven change in how food is provided, ensuring that it supports the broader goals of health, sustainability, and community well-being.
Recommended Citation
Hurley, Annika, "051 - Good Food Buffalo Coalition: Key findings within Community Action Planning" (2025). GREAT Day Posters. 16.
https://knightscholar.geneseo.edu/great-day-symposium/great-day-2025/posters-2025/16
051 - Good Food Buffalo Coalition: Key findings within Community Action Planning
The Good Food Buffalo Coalition is dedicated to bringing the Good Food Purchasing Program to Western New York. The coalition aims to shift food procurement practices in Buffalo Public Schools by focusing on sustainability, community values, and nutritional equity. By moving away from the lowest bidder system, the coalition seeks to prioritize nutrition, workers' rights, sustainability, animal welfare, and local economies. We want Buffalo Public Schools to provide food in a way that supports these values and goals. The coalition hosts listening sessions to gather opinions and ideas to develop an action plan guiding the coalition’s work moving forward. To synthesize key components brought forth by participants, we analyze and transcribe the audio recordings, pictures, and the physical data gathered from the sessions. Community members can directly support the implementation of their own key concerns, ideas, and potential solutions into the school food system through this process. Key findings from this research show community members' emphasis on the nutritional quality of school food and knowing what is being fed to their children. Community members also support the implementation of kitchens in schools, greater staff training, and the involvement of parents, teachers, and nutritionists in food-related decisions. All of these findings help to show us where to direct our work and support. Through these initiatives, the coalition aims to create lasting, community-driven change in how food is provided, ensuring that it supports the broader goals of health, sustainability, and community well-being.
Comments
Sponsored by Jessica Gilbert-Overland