SAMPLE LETTER TO SCHOOL STAFF INTRODUCING FRESH FROM THE FARM

NOTE: The sample letter below has been adapted from a letter written by the Parent Council Team at Tweedsmuir PS, led by Leanne Tillaart, introducing Fresh from the Farm to school staff members.Leanne has been a true ‘champion’ of Fresh from the Farm – please feel free to contact her should you have questions on Tweedsmuir PS’s success with Fresh from theFarm:

Welcome Back (______) Staff!

By now you may have heard the ‘Buzz’ about our newest fundraising initiative for this year, Fresh from the Farm We are so excited to offer a healthy fundraiser that can be educational, fun and profitable. But we on the PTA can’t do it alone, we need your support.

To give you a little bit of background on theFresh from the Farm program let’s look at the facts:

  • Students will be selling Ontario fruit (Empire apples) and vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes)directly from Ontario farmers,delivered to our community.
  • Bundle A: 3 lb carrots, 3 lb onions, 5 lb potatoes, 3 lb sweet potatoes for $10.00
  • Bundle B: 8 lb box of Empire apples for $15.00
  • 40% of all sales go directly to the school (400 bundles of root vegetables and 150 boxes of apples can make the school a profit of $2440)!
  • The window of time to run the fundraiser is short, September 8th to October 16th (that’s the deadline for the school order to be submitted); the delivery takes place in November.
  • Fresh from the Farm aligns with Ontario’s School Food and Beverage Policy.
  • It provides opportunities for introducing the related topics of agriculture, food and healthy eating into the classroom.
  • Fresh from the Farm raises awareness about the important role good nutrition plays in the development and well-being of children and youth.

But as we said, we need your help, but how, you ask?

We are looking for volunteers from our amazing staff who would be interested in putting together a short skit to help get our students excited about this fundraising initiative at the upcoming assembly (modify as required). We were hoping for something to maintain the theme of the fundraiser, perhaps something about how food goes from seed to plate, or what fruits and veggies do for our bodies. This really is your strength. You are the people that are helping to educate and develop our next generation of actors, farmers, business owners, doctors, nurses and engineers. We have the highest confidence that whatever you come up with the kids will love and learn from in the process.

Fresh from the Farm is a collaborative initiative between Dietitians of Canada, Ministry of Education, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable’ Growers Association and Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs/Foodland Ontario. They have provided an excellent resource page for educators on how to teach kids the importance of incorporating healthy food into their lifestyle. Resources and recipes can be found at: and

Thank you for your support with this amazing opportunity!

Your Parent Council Team!