Pilot Light's National Food Education Impact Grows
With FRESHEALTH partners, Chicago non-profit accelerates SnackTime Explorers
If you are a Local Food Forum regular, you probably know of my boundless admiration for Pilot Light, the Chicago-based food education non-profit.
Pilot Light was founded in 2010 by local chefs Jason Hammel, Paul Kahan, Justin Large and Matthias Merges. And under the leadership of Executive Director Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn since 2014, Pilot Light has grown from integrating food education into the lesson plans at a handful of Chicago public schools, to providing training and materials in schools across Chicago and in two dozen school districts across the nation.
The organization has also made its food education standards, lesson plans and videos widely available through its Food Education Center.
So I’m pleased to share Pilot Light’s latest big step in its national expansion. And it has to do with its SnackTime Explorers program, in partnership with the FRESHEALTH program at DNO Produce in Columbus, Ohio. SnackTime Explorers is a food education toolkit designed for schools that participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP).
The program is a little over one year old and is currently active in three Midwest school districts. But Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH have joined The White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities with a commitment to expand the program to 2.7 million children across the United States — all of the participants in the FFVP — by 2030, with financial support from The Savage Family Office.
The following press release contains all the details about this innovative program.
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Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH Join White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities with Commitment to Expand SnackTime Explorers to 2.7 Million Students Nationwide
The expansion of the groundbreaking SnackTime Explorers program will include the launch of an open-access digital educational platform, new and improved lesson plans for K-8th grade students, professional development resources for educators, translation of the SnackTime Explorers lessons to Spanish, and more.
CHICAGO, IL - March 5, 2024 - Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH are thrilled to announce that they are joining The White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities by expanding their SnackTime Explorers program through the generous support of The Savage Family Office.
The White House and the CDC Foundation have officially recognized Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH for their commitment to the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. This joint commitment will expand the groundbreaking SnackTime Explorers initiative to 2.7 million students across the nation, aligning with the White Houseʼs broader vision to foster healthier eating habits, eliminate hunger, and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030.
“The expansion of Pilot Lightʼs SnackTime Explorers toolkit is a commendable effort that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the health and well-being of children across the country,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). “This initiative exemplifies the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier lifestyles to empower K-12 students with the knowledge and resources they need to make healthy choices."
The unique partnership between Chicago-based Food Education nonprofit Pilot Light and Columbus, OH-based produce provider FRESHEALTH, has created SnackTime Explorers. A first-of-its-kind educational toolkit, SnackTime Explorers is designed to complement the USDAʼs Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) by adding Food Education to classroom snack time.
Pilot Light and FRESHEALTHʼs commitment will invest in the future of SnackTime Explorers and the FFVP through a multi-tiered approach, including:
Expanding SnackTime Explorers content for all eligible grade levels, plus the creation of new educational content to maximize the toolkitʼs effectiveness in the classroom
Translating instructional resources into Spanish language for increased accessibility and inclusivity
Growing the geographical reach to FFVP schools in all participating states and territories
Building asynchronous educator professional development resources, allowing SnackTime Explorers teachers to participate in their professional growth on their own schedule
Launching a digital learning platform for educators to access SnackTime Explorers content as well as connect with other participating teachers to foster peer-to-peer support and collaboration
Investing in the long-term success of SnackTime Explorers through new evaluation practices, site visits, and educator leadership.
Program History
When their partnership began in 2022, Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH realized that there was an opportunity to add an educational component to the FFVP, a program that provides funding for fresh produce snacks to qualifying elementary schools across the country.
In January 2023, the first SnackTime Explorers teaching cohort launched in Chicago Public Schools. The toolkit has been proven to increase student participation and consumption during FFVP snack time, as well as promote classroom-wide social development and engagement throughout the school day.
“SnackTime Explorers has been a refreshing and multifaceted approach to nutrition education for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program at CPS schools,” said Ariana O Luster, MS, RD, LDN, School Nutrition Specialist for Chicago Public Schools. “It's exciting, as administrators, to be able to offer a resource that guides our teachers and revitalizes a key aspect of this beloved program, which adds to the educational and social experience of our students. The lessons, aligned with Pilot Light's Food Education Standards, serve as a reminder that food represents daily interconnectedness to our internal and external environments.”
Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH quickly realized that the SnackTime Explorers toolkit had the potential to inspire curiosity in students, promote connections between classmates and teachers, and increase consumption of FFVP produce – maximizing the impact of the USDA program.
SnackTime Explorers is now operating in three midwest school districts—but the vision doesnʼt stop there. By 2030, with the support of the White House, CDC Foundation and The Savage Family Office, the commitment aims to reach all 2.7 million students participating in the USDA's FFVP.
“The way we feed people in this country is changing. With the endorsement of the White House, we are more motivated than ever to transform classrooms, cafeterias, and communities with the power of fresh produce,” said Alex DiNovo, President and Chief Operating Officer of FRESHEALTH. “Our partnership with Pilot Light is a strategic collaboration, drawing on the strengths of both the nonprofit and private sector. Together, we leverage existing USDA programs and draw upon the deep knowledge of classroom educators to make the maximum impact. This noteworthy endorsement fuels our mission to shape a healthier future for children across our nation.”
“At the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, we are working alongside our partners such as Pilot Light to meet the goals of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health and to advance nutrition security. We cannot do this important work alone, but together we can make progress that will change lives and ensure a healthier, more prosperous future for everyone in this country,” said Dr. Caree Jackson Cotwright, Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity for USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
The SnackTime Explorers expansion will reach all participating FFVP elementary schools (currently over 9,350) across all 50 States, plus the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands by 2030.
Pilot Light and FRESHEALTH project that the expansion will begin summer 2024. Interested educators, administrators, and school nutrition professionals can start registering their interest in bringing SnackTime Explorers to their FFVP school here. Learn more about SnackTime Explorers and access a free sample lesson on the new website: www.snacktimeexplorers.org.
"Integrating Food Education into the classroom equips young learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to become informed leaders of tomorrow," said Alex DeSorbo-Quinn, Executive Director of Pilot Light. "SnackTime Explorers provides teachers with the tools necessary in creating this long-lasting change in student mindsets that transfers out of the classroom and into their families and communities. We are honored to join this national movement to end hunger and build healthier communities through our expansion to all teachers and schools enrolled in the FFVP."
About Pilot Light
Pilot Light is a Chicago-founded Food Education 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners directly with educators across the country who integrate food into everyday classroom learning. By making food relevant, exciting, and meaningful to PreK-12 students during the school day, Pilot Light empowers them to become informed and active members of the food system.
Learn more and get involved at www.pilotlightchefs.org.
About FRESHEALTH
Based in Columbus, Ohio, FRESHEALTH provides ready-to-eat produce for schools across sixteen states. More than apple slices and baby carrots, the fresh-cut processor is known for offering innovative, new-to-market products. Crinkle-cut cucumbers, watermelon radish, jicama sticks, and golden kiwi introduce kids to the exciting world of fruits and veggies in an approachable, kid-friendly format. FRESHEALTH items are available to be sourced from DNO Produce. Learn more at www.dnoinc.com/fresh-cut