Full Futures is our signature philanthropic program aimed at advancing school nutrition. We’re currently working with school districts and nonprofits in three Campbell’s communities:
Camden, New Jersey | Charlotte, North Carolina | Hanover, Pennsylvania
Our work is focused on four key pillars:
We recently published our annual report that highlights the work of Full Futures partners in the 2023-2034 school year. Here are five achievements we’re especially proud of this year:
Camden community farmers markets: Our partners on the Camden City School District’s (CCSD) Nutrition Team organized 11 farmers markets this year at schools across the district. Community members were able to shop for complimentary, local products procured by The Common Market.
shoppers
shoppers visited the markets.
food
of food provided at the markets.
“I was so surprised to see so many different types of food there. When I was done it was like I just went grocery shopping.” – Camden resident
“I was so surprised to see so many different types of food there. When I was done it was like I just went grocery shopping.”
Charlotte mobile farmers markets: We also supported three mobile farmers markets this year hosted by our partners at The Bulb. This team provides barrier-free, fresh produce to neighborhoods throughout Charlotte.
Shoppers
shoppers used the mobile market service.
of food distributed from the mobile markets.
TryDay Friday: This initiative in the Camden Full Futures program was supported by several partners, including The Food Bank of South Jersey, to gather student feedback on school menus. Students and staff received a nutritious menu item to try in the lunch line on Fridays. They then rated it and shared their feedback with the School Nutrition team to inform the school menu.
The results: The district held over 40 tastings with the two most popular dishes being fruit & yogurt parfaits with homemade granola and Shepherd’s Pie. Both featured local ingredients. Since the start of Full Futures Camden, more than 50 different recipes have been featured at TryDay Friday and community events; several of these recipes have become permanent menu items.
What we did: With the help of our partner, 100 Gardens, we were able to install an aquaponics garden at a high school in Charlotte and maintain three more at other schools in the district.
What it means: Hydroponics & aquaponics systems are some of the most sustainable food-growing systems available, allowing growers to produce food anywhere in the world, at any time of the year.
The impact: More than 1,550 students learned about aquaponics or hydroponics this year, including CTE Culinary, Agriculture, and Business Marketing students that utilized these systems as part of their coursework. Students were also able to take home some of the leafy greens they harvested, while a portion was donated to The Bulb and Refugee Support Services, who offer the produce to the community at no cost.
Staff education: Teachers also attended workshops with 100 Gardens in the summer to increase their knowledge of the aquaponic and hydroponic systems.
What we did: An important part of our Full Futures program is providing nutrition and culinary education opportunities to students and staff. We were able to offer several opportunities this year:
A new community: This year we added the Hanover, PA community to our Full Futures program.
The impact: Our first project was updating kitchen equipment in the South Western School District’s cafeterias. We also piloted an online food pantry with The York County Food Bank to help increase food access for elementary school families in the area.
What’s next: We look forward to building and expanding the program in the upcoming school year to meet the needs of the community.
We’re committed to enhancing our work in all three of our Campbell’s communities while developing a roadmap that will enable others to implement this work in additional school districts.
Want to learn more about Full Futures? Read our Year Three Impact Report.
