Binghamton, NY – The DCMO BOCES School Lunch Management team was honored at an event in Binghamton Tuesday night. The Rural Health Network of South Central New York held its annual Rural Health Awards celebration, recognizing individuals and organizations whose dedication and contributions advance the health and well-being of rural people and communities in the region. The DCMO BOCES School Lunch Management team was named this year’s Rural Health Champion at the event, held at the SUNY Broome Culinary Center in Binghamton. The award is presented to an individual or organization that exhibits concern for rural issues and takes steps to address those concerns. For DCMO BOCES, those steps include partnering with the Rural Health Network’s Farm to School program to create healthier rural communities by forging connections with local food producers and expanding their students’ access to fresh, healthy local food.
Since 2018, when DCMO BOCES began their Farm to School partnership, the program has grown in both scope and reach, from a single school district to 16 participating school districts and their nearly 11,000 students. Their successful partnership has increased opportunities for students to try local foods through taste tests and “NY Thursday” lunches, expanded professional development opportunities for school nutrition staff, and supported New York State producers through local procurement efforts. “Students can taste new foods, learn where their food comes from, and enjoy more New York-grown products in their school meals,” according to Hannah Ogborn, Rural Health Network’s Farm to School Program Coordinator. “Local farmers and food businesses gain new opportunities to reach schools, and our communities benefit from stronger connections between local agriculture and children's health.”
DCMO BOCES was recognized for actively working to grow their program, including applying for and managing three New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Farm to School Grants, as well as continuing to invest their own time, resources, and creativity into making Farm to School an important part of their school food service. “Their commitment goes far beyond the food they serve,” said Ogborn. “The School Lunch Management staff genuinely know and care about their students. They understand that every meal is an opportunity to nourish a child, that every new food can spark curiosity, and that small experiences in a school cafeteria can help shape a child's relationship with food for years to come.”
Constance Babino, DCMO BOCES School Lunch Manager, accepted the award, along with members of the school lunch team. The DCMO BOCES School Lunch Management program currently provides cafeteria management and planning services for both DCMO BOCES campuses and schools in the following districts: Afton CSD, Bainbridge-Guilford CSD, Downsville CSD, Greene CSD, Hancock CSD, Norwich CSD, Oneonta CSD, Otselic Valley CSD, Oxford Academy CSD, Schenevus CSD, Sherburne-Earlville CSD, Sidney CSD, Unatego CSD and Walton CSD.