Montana Involved Groups and Organizations

The following organizations have resources and information to help with your local Farm to School program.
Alternative Energy Resources Organization
AERO is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to solutions that promote resource conservation and local economic vitality. AERO nurtures individual and community self reliance through programs that support sustainable agriculture, renewable energy and environmental quality.

Garden City Harvest
Over 90% of the produce we eat in Montana is shipped in from out of state. Yet in the early part of this century, Missoula earned the title "The Garden City" by producing fruits and vegetables for much of the surrounding region.

The partners in the Garden City Harvest project believe that we need to revive our regional tradition of producing our own food for our community, including the 20% of Missoulians who live in poverty.

Grow Montana
Grow Montana is a broad-based coalition whose COMMON PURPOSE is to promote community economic development policies that support sustainable Montana-owned food production, processing, and distribution, and that improve all of our citizens' access to Montana foods.

Missoula County Public School District

Missoula Food Bank
At Missoula Food Bank, our mission is to respond to the emergency food needs of the hungry and work to reduce the incidence of hunger and its effects on individuals, families and the community. Each year we distribute more than 250 tons of food - canned goods, fresh produce, bakery items, cereal, baby food, formula and more - to Missoula area residents. That's enough to serve roughly 1,000 households a month.

National Center for Appropriate Technology
Since 1976 the National Center for Appropriate Technology has been serving economically disadvantaged people by providing information and access to appropriate technologies that can help improve their lives. During the organization's rich and varied history, NCAT projects have ranged from low-tech to high-tech, addressing complex issues of housing, economics, and environmental quality. Weatherizing houses, training farmers, monitoring energy use, demonstrating renewable energy technology, testing new products and providing information on building construction are just a few of the many ways that NCAT has contributed to fostering healthy communities and a better quality of life for everyone.

University of Montana, Missoula - Department of Environmental Studies
The Environmental Studies Program (EVST) seeks to provide students with the literacy, skills, and commitment needed to foster a healthy natural environment and to create a more sustainable, equitable, and peaceful world. To these ends, the EVST Program educates and challenges students to become knowledgeable, motivated and engaged in environmental affairs. We want our students to acquire the skills and awareness that will enable them to promote positive social change and to improve both the environment and communities of Montana, and thereby the lives of Montanans.

Montana Campus Compact
The Montana Campus Compact (MTCC) is the largest higher education network in Montana.  MTCC is a nonprofit organization committed to renewing the public purposes of higher education through community service, service-learning, volunteerism, and civic engagement programming available to students, faculty, and staff.