Food Systems: SMC & Community Based Partners

San Mateo County Food Systems Alliance: The San Mateo County Food System Alliance (SMFSA) is a collaboration of community leaders focused on creating a better future for farms, people, and the environment in San Mateo County. Since its founding in 2006 the group has shifted the dialogue about, and the policy around, food system issues. This alliance has a focus on Farm to School (F2S) and food systems transformation in schools. 

Partner agencies include: SMC Health, California Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, public school districts in SMC, TomKat Ranch, and many more! If you are a school district nutrition services director email elsi@smcoe.org to join monthly calls that connect districts to partners for local food purchasing.

Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI): SEI is an environmental nonprofit that builds leaders to drive sustainability solutions. SEI will partner with schools to facilitate garden instruction and maintenance. 

Living Classrooms: Living Classrooms mission is "to make education come alive and to empower the next generation by growing environmental champions, inquisitive learners, and healthy eaters who know where their food comes from". Living Classrooms partners with schools to provide on-site science and environmental education lessons to TK- 5th graders. 

Food Corps: Food Corps is a part of the AmeriCorps Service Network which places paid service members in schools for one year to lead hands-on lessons in existing school gardens. Schools apply annually to receive funding for a service member to be dedicated to their school site. 

Each Green Corner (EGC): EGC’s Living Campus Program collaborates with schools to design garden-centered outdoor educational settings that fit within the school’s educational goals, and then assist with installation, ongoing maintenance, and harvesting of produce grown within the gardens for donation to EGC’s food distribution partners. EGC coordinates volunteers for garden maintenance and provides supplemental curriculum that school educators can implement.

San Mateo County Office of Sustainability Community Garden Program (SMCOOS): SMCOOS's Community Garden Program provides funding for garden installations within SMC and has a history of funding school garden projects. Check out their school garden map with past partner schools! 

Elkus Ranch: The mission of University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) San Mateo/San Francisco and Elkus Ranch is to serve the diverse needs of residents through the creation, development, and extension of knowledge in agriculture, natural resources, and human resources. They offer ranch tours, cooking and nutrition activities, and overnight programs for PreK-12th grade. 

CalFresh Healthy Living: As part of the UC Cooperative Extension, CalFresh Healthy Living helps "build and maintain healthy families and communities". CalFresh will partner with schools to do local produce tasting programs and health/wellness education for K-12 students. 

The Heal Project: The HEAL Project offers lessons on health, environment and agriculture at school sites, in the classroom, and at the San Mateo County School Farm. The farm is an outdoor experiential learning space where K-12th grade students learn where their food comes from and why it matters.

Hidden Villa: Hidden Villa fosters educational experiences that build connections and inspire a deeper appreciation and respect for nature, food, and one another. They offer farms tours, hand on environmental lessons, wilderness exploration and youth development opportunities. 

Pie Ranch: Pie Ranch Cultivates a healthy and just food system from seed to table through food education, farmer training, and regional partnerships. Pie Ranch offers sliding scale, fee-for-service programs for K-12 schools.  We offer one-time visits to the ranch and overnight programs to help students understand where their food comes from and most importantly to build a connection to nature. 

Pacifica Community Gardens: Pacifica Gardens is a 30,000 sq. ft. urban agricultural project located at Linda Mar School in Pacifica. They offer garden-based education programs and a youth community service program. 

San Mateo County Public Health: Supports schools to implement food share tables to reduce waste from unopened and unbitten school lunch food. The County Health Department also has resources for solid waste programs. 

San Mateo County Office of Sustainability- Schools Program: The Office of Sustainability Schools Program (SMCOOS) has a mission to take action to conserve resources and help protect our environment. Programs include: school-wide and grade level assemblies, classroom presentations, field trips, technical assistance, and youth mentorship.