Towards a more just and sustainable lunch

Thank you to the parents, caregivers, faculty and administrators who participated in this week’s retreat focused on honing the vision for a community-inclusive lunch program at Gordon. The team included teachers, parent volunteers, food system leaders, local activists, food service professionals, and representatives from Farm Fresh Rhode Island. 
 

Gordon’s strategic vision calls on the school to “design a lunch program that fosters a resilient and sustainable local ecosystem by supporting local farmers and serving students fresh, healthy, delicious food.”
 

After three days of four-hour meetings, retreat attendees had articulated the essential elements of a mission-based lunch program that will begin next September and include all students, faculty and staff.
 

While this work will put food on Gordon students’ plates next fall, this work is about more than lunch. It’s about generating a comprehensive strategy for integrating sustainable agriculture, nutrition, justice and community-building into the daily life of the school, and convening students, families, faculty and staff at a Gordon family table. 
 

More details, and more opportunities to engage in this work, will roll out over the weeks and months ahead. For today, we offer thanks to the all of the people who brought their ideas, imaginations and expertise to the work of building a lunch that will affirm—and expand—Gordon’s mission.