FRESHFARM FoodPrints 20th Anniversary Recognition Resolution of 2026

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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

26-138

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

March 31, 2026

To recognize and celebrate FRESHFARM FoodPrints, on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, for
its exceptional food and garden education programming for District of Columbia schools
and students.

WHEREAS, FRESHFARM FoodPrints, a program of the non-profit FRESHFARM, began
at Rudolph Elementary School in Ward 4 in 2005, and then Watkins Elementary School in Ward 6
in 2009;

WHEREAS, FRESHFARM has built a unique and successful model of immersive food
and garden education, putting the District on the map as a leader in this field;

WHEREAS, FoodPrints has grown to reach 8,000 students in 21 partner DC public
elementary schools in 7 wards across the District;

WHEREAS, the FoodPrints Grow, Cook, Eat, Learn model embeds food educators in
public schools, focused on historically underserved communities, with immersive, academically
aligned, joyful experiences around food;

WHEREAS, over the past 20 years, FoodPrints has developed an evidence -based unique
curriculum containing 63 standards -based lessons , all tied to academic standards , sequenced
seasonally, and adaptable for a range of uses , from garden - and culinary- based programs, to
supplemental classroom learning, to out-of-school time enrichment programming;

WHEREAS, local food is a cornerstone of FoodPrints ’ students’ experience - FoodPrints’
21 school gardens grow 20 different crops each school year, from strawberries to kale to sweet
potatoes, augmented by tens of thousands of pounds of produce from m id-Atlantic farmers in the
FRESHFARM network;

WHEREAS, students learn where food comes from and how to harvest and cook the food;

WHEREAS, FoodPrints built its first teaching kitchen at Watkins Elementary School in
2011, thanks to a fundraiser championed by chef and philanthropist José Andrés;
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WHEREAS, since then, together with DC Public Schools, FoodPrints has added 7 beautiful
teaching kitchens as part of school modernizations in 6 wards across the city;

WHEREAS, in February 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama made a surprise visit, filmed
by HGTV , to a fifth-grade FoodPrints class at the Watkins Elementary teaching kitchen as part of
her Let's Move! Initiative - the First Lady helped the students grind corn to make tortillas and make
kale salad with greens from the school garden;

WHEREAS, research conducted by The George Washington University Milken Institute
School of Public Health has demonstrated that the program has made lasting impacts on culinary
confidence and food choices, and FoodPrints students eat more fruits and vegetables than their
typical peers;

WHEREAS, a generation of students has participated over the years, creating a network of
former students who, to this day, still have fond memories of cooking and eating favorite recipes
together, including Apple Beet Carrot (ABC) Salad and Tuscan Kale Salad;

WHEREAS, FoodPrints reaches beyond the classroom to build community and improve
food access in partnership with other FRESHFARM programs through school -based farm stands
at Whittier Elementary School in Ward 4 and Simon Elementary School in Ward 8, where school
families and neighborhood residents shop for seasonal produce grown by regional farmers;

WHEREAS, b oth these farm stands accept SNAP/EBT, FMNP, Produce Plus, and
FreshMatch, making fresh fruits and vegetables affordable for all community members;

WHEREAS, the FoodPrints team has spent many non- teaching days in service at Deep
Roots Farm - a Black-woman-owned farm in Maryland that is part of the FRESHFARM network
- planting and harvesting crops;

WHEREAS, Farmer Gale of Deep Roots Farm has , over the years , visited FoodPrints
classrooms to share the work of a farmer, and has provided produce for classes, events, and
families;

WHEREAS, since 2020, FRESHFARM has used the FoodPrints approach in community
settings, primarily in e arly childhood education centers and recently for a DC -based Food is
Medicine program at Children’s National Hospital;

WHEREAS, in 2024, FoodPrints participated in the first -ever U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services Food is Medicine Conference, where students on stage demonstrated for the
audience how to cook FoodPrints recipes and shared their experiences in the program;

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WHEREAS, FoodPrints is funded by investments from the Council, the Office of the State
Superintendent for Education, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, individual schools
and parent-teacher associations, and foundations and private donations; and

WHEREAS, the continuation of strong partnerships and city investment can continue to
create community and joy around nutritious food in the District for the next 20 years and beyond.

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “ FRESHFARM FoodPrints 20th Anniversary Recognition
Resolution of 2026”.

Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and celebrates FRESHFARM
FoodPrints, on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, for its exceptional food and garden education
programming for District of Columbia schools and students.

Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.