The Maryland Food System Resiliency Council visited Caroline County this week to get a firsthand look at the ways we are partnering with local agencies and businesses to meet the needs of kids and families. The visitors were welcomed at the Support Services Center (SSC) by Superintendent Derek L. Simmons and then given a tour of several locations by Supervisor of Food Services Beth Brewster.
- The group visited the storage and warehouse facility at the SSC where the Backpack Program collects food items and packs them to distribute weekend meals for students.
- They stopped at Farm to Fork Fresh Herbs and Veggies Farm in Ridgely and enjoyed a spirulina tour. (Spirulina is a type of algae that grows in fresh or salt water. It comes as a supplement, in tablet or powder form. People use it for its health benefits, as it is rich in nutrients and has antioxidant properties.)
- Greensboro Elementary School was visited during the Summer Camp Program’s lunchtime to see the variety of food choices the students enjoy. They also learned about the Tower Garden, the ShoGo Curbside service, and the School Based Health Centers, operated throughout the year in partnership with Choptank Community Health.
- Lunch included a tour of the Culinary Arts Center and a meal prepared by Shore Gourmet.
Kevin M. Atticks, Maryland Secretary of Agriculture; Serena McIlwain, Maryland Department of the Environment; and Russell J. Strickland, Maryland Secretary of Emergency Management were also in attendance with the tour.
“It’s a pleasure to show the Council the partnerships we’ve created in Caroline that serve to feed our children and their families,” Dr. Simmons said. “Beth Brewster, her team, and so many people, agencies and businesses are a part of this endeavor, and we’re happy to share what we do and what we’ve learned.”
All event photos may be viewed on the Caroline Flickr page.