Sullivan 180 Shares Farm to School Leadership at Statewide Summit
Members of the Sullivan County School Nutrition Action Coalition Attend the 2026 Farm to School Summit.
Pictured from Left to Right: Denise Frangipane (Sullivan 180), Jennifer Bitteto (A Single Bite), Kristen Huffman (Sullivan County BOCES), Meaghan Mullally-Gorr (Sullivan 180), Alan Carroll (Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County), Joy Leon (Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County), Meghan Stalter (Sullivan 180), Liz Stretch (A Single Bite), Dara Smith (Sullivan West School District), Christy TerBush (Sullivan 180), Dawn Parsons (Sullivan County BOCES).
Advancing collaboration to strengthen student wellness through healthy food
[LIBERTY, NY] – Sullivan 180 recently attended the 2026 NY Farm to School Summit, joining partners from across New York State to explore strategies that strengthen connections between local farms and schools. The Summit convened educators, farmers, policymakers, and community organizations focused on expanding access to fresh, locally grown foods, enhancing nutrition education, and supporting student wellness initiatives. Sullivan County was well represented at the statewide conference with A Single Bite, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Sullivan County, and Food Service Leaders from Sullivan BOCES, Fallsburg, Liberty and Monticello Sullivan West school districts.
During the Summit, Sullivan 180 presented a lightning talk titled “Building a Healthier Generation Through Nutrition and Farm to School: It Takes a Community.” The presentation highlighted Sullivan 180’s collaborative approach to advancing wellness and Farm to School efforts in Sullivan County, emphasizing partnerships among schools, local farmers, families, and community stakeholders with specific explanation of the School Nutrition Action Coalition (a collaborative effort in Sullivan County to increase access to scratch cooking in our schools). Discussions throughout the Summit reinforced the importance of integrating food access, education, and community engagement to build stronger regional food systems and lifelong healthy habits for students.
“Farm to School is about more than what’s served in the cafeteria,” said Meghan Stalter, Special Projects Manager. “It’s about education, collaboration, and creating environments where the healthy choice becomes the easy choice. When schools, farmers, and community partners work together, we can create lasting impact for our students and our community through nutrition.”
To learn more about Sullivan 180’s Farm to School initiatives and ongoing efforts to support student wellness in Sullivan County at the button below.