Values-Aligned Purchasing Collectives
Our program helps school districts join forces to buy better food for students.
School cafeterias feed millions of kids every day, but the process of buying that food is usually based on finding the lowest price.
Individual school districts, especially small or rural ones, often don't have the buying power, time, or staff to find and purchase healthier, more sustainable ingredients. They are often stuck buying whatever is cheapest and easiest, even if it means serving ultraprocessed food shipped from across the country.
That’s where our Values-Aligned Purchasing Collectives come in.
Values-Aligned Purchasing Collectives
Our program helps school districts join forces to buy better food for students.
School cafeterias feed millions of kids every day, but the process of buying that food is usually based on finding the lowest price.
Individual school districts, especially small or rural ones, often don't have the buying power, time, or staff to find and purchase healthier, more sustainable ingredients. They are often stuck buying whatever is cheapest and easiest, even if it means serving ultraprocessed food shipped from across the country.
That’s where our Values-Aligned Purchasing Collectives come in.
About
By joining forces, school districts can share knowledge, pool resources, and jointly develop purchasing documents. This collective buying power gives them the leverage to demand better options from suppliers at prices they can actually afford.
Instead of just looking at the price tag, these schools can now purchase food that aligns with their values, like buying from local family farms, sourcing organic milk, or choosing pasture-raised meats.
Values-aligned foods can include, but are not limited to, products or ingredients that are local, organic, sustainable, regenerative, humanely raised, or made by independent producers or owner-operated businesses.
About
By joining forces, school districts can share knowledge, pool resources, and jointly develop purchasing documents. This collective buying power gives them the leverage to demand better options from suppliers at prices they can actually afford.
Instead of just looking at the price tag, these schools can now purchase food that aligns with their values, like buying from local family farms, sourcing organic milk, or choosing pasture-raised meats.
Values-aligned foods can include, but are not limited to, products or ingredients that are local, organic, sustainable, regenerative, humanely raised, or made by independent producers or owner-operated businesses.
Why This Work Matters
When schools band together to buy better food, the positive ripple effects extend far beyond the cafeteria tray:
- For Students: They get healthier, more nutritious meals that fuel their learning and long-term health.
- For Local Farmers & Businesses: Small-scale, independent, and sustainable farmers gain a massive, reliable customer (school districts), helping boost the local economy.
- For the Planet: Buying from regional farms reduces pollution from shipping food long distances. Supporting organic or regenerative farming helps protect the soil and the environment.
Why This Work Matters
When schools band together to buy better food, the positive ripple effects extend far beyond the cafeteria tray:
- For Students: They get healthier, more nutritious meals that fuel their learning and long-term health.
- For Local Farmers & Businesses: Small-scale, independent, and sustainable farmers gain a massive, reliable customer (school districts), helping boost the local economy.
- For the Planet: Buying from regional farms reduces pollution from shipping food long distances. Supporting organic or regenerative farming helps protect the soil and the environment.
Our goals:
We are working to change how schools source their food by focusing on five main targets:
- Get better food onto trays: Increase the amount of values-aligned foods in school lunches.
- Lower the cost: Make high-quality food affordable for school budgets by buying in bulk.
- Build community bonds: Create lasting business partnerships between school districts and values-aligned food businesses.
- Protect the environment: Drive up the demand for foods grown using environmentally friendly farming practices.
- Strengthen regional food systems: Make local supply chains stronger and more resilient.
Our goals:
We are working to change how schools source their food by focusing on five main targets:
- Get better food onto trays: Increase the amount of values-aligned foods in school lunches.
- Lower the cost: Make high-quality food affordable for school budgets by buying in bulk.
- Build community bonds: Create lasting business partnerships between school districts and values-aligned food businesses.
- Protect the environment: Drive up the demand for foods grown using environmentally friendly farming practices.
- Strengthen regional food systems: Make local supply chains stronger and more resilient.
How to Get Involved
- For Foundations and Donors: Help us scale up this work. Reach out to dev@chefannfoundation.org to sponsor this program, or make a donation today to help get better food into schools.
- For Producers, Food Hubs, and Distributors of values-aligned foods: Want to sell to schools? Join our California interest list or Arizona interest list to be notified when the next round of solicitations opens.
- For Community Organizations (nonprofit organization, local or state government agency, etc.): Join our California interest list or Arizona interest list to learn how you can engage with our current projects.
- For schools and districts: Ready to bring better food to your students? Visit our program page to learn how to join a buying collective.
How to Get Involved
- For Foundations and Donors: Help us scale up this work. Reach out to dev@chefannfoundation.org to sponsor this program, or make a donation today to help get better food into schools.
- For Producers, Food Hubs, and Distributors of values-aligned foods: Want to sell to schools? Join our California interest list or Arizona interest list to be notified when the next round of solicitations opens.
- For Community Organizations (nonprofit organization, local or state government agency, etc.): Join our California interest list or Arizona interest list to learn how you can engage with our current projects.
- For schools and districts: Ready to bring better food to your students? Visit our program page to learn how to join a buying collective.
