“It’s not our first time,” fifth-grader Garbie said. “We do this all the time.”
The Washington Shores Elementary School student is one of a team of kids who expertly unloaded a pallet of produce and sorted all the fruits and vegetables into hundreds of bags.
Every month, the school receives a shipment of fresh produce for its Fresh Market program, one of the Second Harvest School Partnerships initiatives.
The monthly farmers market-style distribution of fresh produce is open to everyone and distributed to students and families to take home at school dismissal time.
One in six Central Florida children face hunger, and the largest gaps in food security are food resources for students outside of the school cafeteria. Without consistent access to the nutritious food needed to learn, grow and thrive, students are not able to focus in the classroom or reach their full potential.
In middle, high and post-secondary schools, student leaders plan, stock, operate and promote the programs on their campuses. This provides opportunities for student growth and development while also reducing hunger-related stigma.
Garbie and her friends went through dozens of boxes of sweet potatoes, kale, Brussels sprouts, pomegranates and many more. The students made sure to include a little of everything in every bag.
Included in the bags is a printed guide about how to store, prep and cook the produce items.
Fourth-grader Alahni said she likes kale in her smoothies. Garbie added that her mom boils the kale and mixes it with rice.
“It tastes really great,” Garbie said.
Alahni helped by bagging corn, peppers and onions.
She said she likes helping because she wants people who need food to get some. It’s also important to her to eat healthy food.
“Without healthy food, your health can get bad,” Alahni said.
Jayah, a fourth-grader, said she enjoys when she gets to put on her apron and sort the produce.
“It’s fun and we get to help people out,” Jayah said.
In the first three months of the 2024-25 school year, School Markets have already served more than 56,000 students, and are on track to hit program highs as the year continues.
Every bag of fresh produce delivers more than nourishment — it fuels brighter futures, strengthens communities, and inspires students to lead with purpose.
