Indiana Partners

The Indiana Grown for Schools Network was born out of the 2018 USDA Farm to School Grant, revitalizing coordinated farm to school efforts in Indiana. Today, the Indiana Grown for Schools Network works across all four pillars of farm to school, using the website as a resource hub for all Hoosiers looking to increase farm to school programming in their learning communities.Below are the mission and vision of the Indiana Grown for Schools Network, which guides all the work we do.

Mission: We envision an equitable Indiana food system that engages young people, farmers, educational settings, and whole communities in farm to school activities, to create a new generation of food citizens.

Vision: Indiana Grown for Schools Network is a collaborative effort to foster the relationships necessary to sustain farm to school activities in every Indiana county. By supporting local farmers and school communities we forecast the emergence of agricultural leaders who understand the interconnectivity of food systems, resulting in healthier families, communities, and economies. Our Network seeks to expand and strengthen programming to 1) increase local foods served in educational settings, 2) create or sustain school gardens, 3) incorporate nutrition education in the classroom, and 4) promote food justice.

In the closing months of 2021, the Indiana Grown for SchoolsNetwork will begin to pivot more into resource creation, sharing, and networking. The website (ingrown4schools.com) will see some changes to improve the usability and highlight upcoming events, webinars, grants, and the newest resources. The network is managed by a team from the Indiana Department ofHealth (IDOH), within the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity (DNPA).The Indiana Grown for Schools Network, as well as all other IDOH farm to school efforts are part of the agency’s overall approach to SNAP-Ed, for which IDOH acts as Indiana’s state agency.

Resources