Food Connects: Growing the Institutional Supply Chain and Driving Demand for Local Food in K-12 and Higher Education
Food Connects (VT) was awarded $100,000 to increase its operational capacity, distribution range, and Harvest of the Month program to support local purchasing in K-12 and higher education institutions across Vermont.
Fresh Flavor Café: Expanding Global Taste with Local Foods
Wolcott Public Schools (CT) was awarded $75,000 to launch Fresh Flavor Cafés, offering globally inspired, locally sourced meals across the district. The project, in collaboration with the Northwest Connecticut Food Hub will increase capacity to source and serve regional food through new equipment purchases, staff training, and stronger farm partnerships.
Growing Collaborative Menu and Crop Planning with Maine School Nutrition Directors and Farmers
Farm to Neighbor (ME) was awarded $99,145 to build and support a network of school nutrition directors and farmers who will coordinate forward crop and menu planning, resulting in more locally grown food in school cafeterias across the state.
Growing Farm-to-School’s Impact in Rural Vermont: Addressing Procurement, Supply Chains, and Training
Green Mountain Farm-to-School (VT) received $98,611 to advance local food procurement in northern Vermont schools through food service staff training, expanding food hub routes and inventory, enrolling schools in ongoing purchasing programs, and launching a locally- focused menu photo contest.
Increasing Local Food Procurement by Addison County Central School District
ACORN Food Hub (VT) received $65,000 to fund infrastructure and equipment upgrades and increase staff capacity needed for the processing and delivery of local food in partnership with nine K-12 schools in the Addison Central School District.
Intervale Food Hub – Infrastructure Capacity to Grow Local Institutional Markets
Intervale Food Hub (VT) received $65,000 to support the purchase of a refrigerated truck to expand regional food distribution to the University of Vermont as well as other institutional markets in the greater Burlington area.
Leveraging Commodity Ingredients and Local Produce to Improve School Meals
CommonWealth Kitchen (MA) received $100,000 to support a project that will blend locally sourced ingredients with USDA commodities in recipes designed for institutions, supporting local farmers, improving K-12 school meals, and helping school districts stretch their budgets.
Local Food Works for Farmers and Educational Institutions Year-Round
Growing Places Garden Project (MA) received $97,593 to launch a revolving fund that enables local schools to source from 29 small and underserved farms in North Central MA.
Maine Halal Food Initiative
Cooperative Development Institute received $100,000 to support Haali’s Halal Cuisine to build a supply chain that provides halal meals made with local ingredients for Maine schools.
Maine Marinara Collaborative – New Product Innovation for Sustainability
Farms for Food Equity (ME) received $99,700 for the Maine Marinara Collaborative’s development of additional tomato-based products for K–12 and institutional markets. The project brings together three Maine school districts, a local food processor, and Maine farms to create sustainable, locally sourced ingredients that kids love.
On the Rise: VT Bread for VT Schools Fresh Flavor Café: Expanding Global Taste with Local Foods
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (VT) received $99,602 to develop and launch a line of Local Food Incentive-eligible, Child Nutrition (CN)-creditable line of bakery products made with local grains. This project will localize a meaningful portion of VT’s K12 bakery procurement, significantly expanding local food access for Vermont youth while ensuring that local farmers benefit alongside their processor.
Unlocking Institutional Markets: Growing Farmer Capacity, Compliance, and K–12 Partnerships at New Entry Food Hub
Tufts University / New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (MA) received $100,000 to expand local produce distribution to three school districts by enhancing food safety and compliance and opening new markets for 35+ small farmers. Through Harvest of the Month programs, students will also gain a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and the value of fresh, locally sourced food.
Reviewers
The Henry P. Kendall Foundation would like to thank our 2025 proposal reviewers for their participation in the Prize program. Each of these individuals brought important personal and professional experience and varying perspectives that added immense value to the review process.
Reviewers are assigned a subset of proposals and provide written and numerical feedback to Foundation staff via the Food Vision Prize rubric.
Joe Flueckiger, Director for Retail Operations / Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Joe Flueckiger joined Harvard University Dining Services as Director for Retail Operations in November 2023. In his role, Joe manages a portfolio of professional school and campus cafes, which range from small, student-staffed coffee bars to a multi-venue graduate school hospitality program with catering. Previously the Executive Director of Dining & Hospitality Services at Amherst College and Dining Services Manager at University of Massachusetts, Joe brings decades of higher education dining experience to his role as a Prize reviewer.
Holly Fowler, Co-Founder & CEO / Northbound Ventures, Montpelier, VT
Holly is the co-founder & CEO of Northbound Ventures Consulting, a small, woman-owned consultancy based in Montpelier, Vermont and focused on food systems, population health and community economic revitalization. Since 2013, Holly has supported more than 150 research and planning projects throughout New England and nationally that represent food centered strategic change initiatives aimed at expanding who participates in and benefits from our food system, prioritizing more transparent and values-based supply chains, and increasing regional resiliency in all its forms. Holly previously served as the Senior Director of Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility for Sodexo North America, the world’s second largest provider of institutional food service, where her work in sustainable agriculture, energy, water, waste, health, and employee engagement reached 6,000 clients of all sizes in all sectors including Fortune 500 companies, national health care networks, public school districts, colleges and universities, city and state governments, and non-profit organizations. Holly has supported the New England Food Vision Prize since its inception in 2018 as a key strategic advisor and proposal reviewer.
Sam Icklan, Director of Community Nutrition / Project Bread, East Boston, MA
Sam Icklan is the Director of Community Nutrition Services at Project Bread, leading programs that provide professional development training and culinary support to school food service professionals to increase the quality of school meals. Based in western Massachusetts, Sam has worked with students and school nutrition professionals in school districts across the Commonwealth, advancing programs and policies to create a more equitable school food system. Sam holds an MS in Food Systems and a professional certificate in Sustainable Food Systems Leadership from the University of Vermont.
Sherlene Rodriguez, Program Director / Farm Share and TOPP, CT NOFA: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut
Sherlene Rodriguez is a farmer, farm to school advocate, and aspiring homesteader. She brings 15+ years of program and project management experience in and for the non-profit sector. Sherlene wears a few hats in the world of Farm to School — Northeast Farm to School coach, Farm to School Specialist at UConn Extension, Put Local on Your Plate, and a steering committee member for the Connecticut Farm to School Collaborative. Her passions include growing food with children, advocating for food justice, and photography. Sherlene holds a MS in Strategic Leadership from Roberts Wesleyan Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Natalie Varrallo, Managing Director / Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Providence, RI
Natalie is a food scientist, advocate, and educator focused on improving sustainability and food security, primarily within marginalized communities. She has a Bachelor of Science in Botany and Sustainable Agriculture, a Sustainable MBA, a Master of Science in Food Justice, and a Master of Science in Sustainable Food Systems. Natalie has spent her career working in many different facets of the food system. Her approach to work seeks to combine social justice and education while simultaneously increasing nutrition and food security within communities.