By Carol McCracken  (Post # 707)

FoodCorps just announced that it is looking for recruits to dedicate one year of full-time service to working in its school garden and farm-to-school service program.  FoodCorps is a new AmeriCorps program.

Up to 80 young men and women are needed for public service in school food systems sourcing healthful local food one school cafeterias, expanding nutirtion education programs and bulding and tending school gardens.

Maine has been selected as one of the 10 states to benefit from this program. The other states are:  Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina or Oregon.

“We’re on the lookout for hard-working young leaders who believe healthy food should be available to every child,” said Executive Director Curt Elias.  “Being part of FoodCorps is a chance to make that vision a reality for kids in this country and to have fun in the process,” according to a press release received from “Sustainable Food News” yesterday.

“Schools – their classrooms, cafeterias, and playgrounds – are the logical frontlines in our nations’ response to childhood obesity,” said Debra Eschmeyer, FoodCorps program director.  “More than 31 million children eat school food five days a week, receiving more than half their daily calories from school food programs.  Considering that when last studied, only 2 percent of school children met the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nation’s school food environments have significant need for improvement.”

This information was provided by “Sustainable Food News,” the largest on-line news letter to the organic food industry.  For more information on it, please contact Hill resident Dan McGovern at” 207 – 749 – 5249/