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AmeriCorps Farm to School Program

AmeriCorps F2S logo

Now Accepting Host Site Applications for the 2025-2026 Service year! See below for more information.

 

Overview

What is AmeriCorps?

 
AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages over 80,000 members in service each year to solve pressing national problems through direct service and by mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve. 
 
 

What is the AmeriCorps Farm to School Program?

 

The AmeriCorps Farm to School Program provides an innovative approach to building healthy communities by

  • improving child nutrition through the implementation of educational F2S activities for students and families. These activities encourage healthy eating choices within an educational setting;
  • developing strong communities by creating future community leaders and connecting schools with local farmers and food businesses; and
  • increasing the capacity of communities all over Wisconsin to support sustainable F2S programs that encourage healthy behaviors and improve the school food environment.

Apply to Serve

Enrollment is still open for a few more positions in the 2024-2025 service year (see the application for a list of open positions)! Enrollment for the 2025-2026 service year will open in May. Stay tuned for more information!

member recruitment

To apply for an AmeriCorps Farm to School service position for the 2024-2025 service year, please fill out this online application. The online application includes a complete list of available positions and host site locations. We recommend getting your application in as soon as you can! For more questions about the program, how serving with our program might fit into your career path, or the online application, please contact Kara Ignasiak .
 
To learn more about what it’s like to be an AmeriCorps Farm to School member, check out these interviews:

 

Timeline for New Member Enrollment:

  • Now accepting new member applications - recruitment will be open until all positions are filled. It is recommended to get your application in as soon as possible.
  • August 15, 2024 - Service year begins
  • August 15 and 19, 2024 - New member pre-orientation (virtual, exact times TBD)
  • August 20-22, 2024 - New member orientation (in-person at the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station in Amherst, WI)
  • August 14, 2025 - Service year ends

2024-2025 Member Benefits

Full-Time Members:

 
  • Total living allowance – $30,600
  • Education award (upon successful completion) - $7,395
  • Health insurance
  • Child care benefits
  • Attendance to a professional conference
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities and training
  • Student loan deferment

Half-Time Members:

 
  • Total living allowance – $16,200
  • Education award (upon successful completion) - $3,697.50
  • Attendance to a professional conference
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities and training
  • Student loan deferment
Apply to Become a Host Site
Now Accepting Host Site Applications for the 2025-2026 AmeriCorps Farm to School Program Service Year! 
 
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is accepting applications for new and continuation partner sites across Wisconsin for the 2025-2026 grant year in anticipation of receiving AmeriCorps Farm to School Program funding in the 2025-2026 grant cycle. Through an AmeriCorps (AC) grant, we are able to offer the AC Farm to School (F2S) Program to communities around Wisconsin.
 
What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages over 80,000 members in service each year to solve pressing national problems through direct service and by mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve. Members gain valuable professional, educational, and life benefits while having a lasting impact on their community.
 
What is the AmeriCorps Farm to School Program?
The AC F2S Program provides an innovative approach to building healthy communities through:
 
  • Improving child nutrition through the implementation of educational F2S activities for students and families. These activities encourage healthy eating choices within an educational setting.
  • Utilizing the talent, passion, and tenacity of AmeriCorps members to provide capacity building services that help build realistic and sustainable F2S programs.
  • Meeting communities where they are at and addressing their specific F2S needs.
  • Developing strong communities by creating future community leaders and connecting schools with local farmers and food businesses.
Program Outline

Through an AmeriCorps grant, DPI is able to offer the AC F2S Program to communities around Wisconsin. With the support of their host site, AC members will serve to meet the following program performance measures:

  • Support Wisconsin schools with capacity building services that help them level up in the Wisconsin Farm to School Recognition Program and/or add new sustainable F2S activities to their existing program;
  • Develop community and interdepartmental partnerships to support F2S programming;
  • Provide training and technical assistance to schools on implementing activities in all three of the F2S core elements (education, local procurement, and school gardens)
  • Assist schools in creating and implementing F2S sustainability plans;
  • Partner with thriving F2S programs to create resources and/or trainings that share their best practices to smaller, up and coming F2S programs;
  • Celebrate schools’ F2S accomplishments and share their stories to gain more community support;
  • Conduct host site evaluations to ensure that they are satisfied with the capacity building services they receive;
  • Promote the Wisconsin Local Foods Database to local producers and school nutrition directors;
  • Participate in professional development trainings and required program reporting and data collection; and
  • Participate in AmeriCorps Week.

Each partner host site will be eligible to apply for one or two part-time or full-time AmeriCorps members who will serve as Farm to School Specialists. Host sites requesting a single half-time member are not exempt from completing all of the program components. We strongly encourage host sites to apply for at least two half-time or one full-time member(s) to ensure a well-rounded program with multiple components.

For more information on the application process, what our program is, what would be expected of you as a host site, what our goals are, and more, please refer to the Notice of Intent to Apply. If you have questions about the program, you may contact Kara Ignasiak at kara.ignasiak@dpi.wi.gov.

Timeline:
March 31, 2025 – Notice of Intent to Apply - Due to DPI 
April 18, 2025– Host Site Application Due to DPI (this will be sent to you once the Notification of Intent to Apply is received)
April 19 to May 4, 2025 – DPI Application Review Process
May 5, 2025 – Target Date for Grant Award Notification
May through August, 2025 – Host Site Member Recruitment and Onboarding
August 15, 2025 – Program Implementation
 
Thank you for your interest in becoming an AmeriCorps Farm to School Host Site in the 2025-2026 service year!
AmeriCorp F2S Promotional Videos

americorp farm to school logoThe AmeriCorps F2S Program: A year of service, a lifetime of success

school garden day logoWisconsin School Garden Day 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

chili lunch logoWisconsin Chili Lunch 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025

great apple crunch logoGreat Apple Crunch 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024

 

 

Thank you to all of our past and current AmeriCorps Farm to School members.

This work would not be possible without you!

 

2017-18 service members

2017-18 Service Members
 

Americorps service members for 2019-2020 2019-2020 Service Members

2022-23 Service Year Americorp Members2021-2022 Service Members

2023-2024 Service Members

2023-2024 Service Members

2018-19 service members

2018-19 Service Members
 
Americorps service members for the 2021-2022 school year
2020-2021 Service Members 
 
 
 
2022-23 Service Year Americorp Members
2022-2023 Service Members
 
 
 
Americorps service members for the 2024-2025 school year
2024-2025 Service Members 

Contact

Kara Ignasiak, MS, RDN, CD
AmeriCorps Farm to School Program Director/Nutrition Education Consultant
 

Non-Discrimination in Employment

It is against the law for organizations that receive federal financial assistance from AmeriCorps to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sex, age, political affiliation, or religion. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, marital status or parental status, sexual orientation, or disability. It is also unlawful to retaliate against any person who, or organization that files, a complaint about such discrimination. In addition to filing a complaint with local and state agencies that are responsible for resolving discrimination complaints, you may bring a complaint to the attention of AmeriCorps. If you believe that you or others have been discriminated against, or if you want more information, contact:
 
Equal Employment Opportunity Office
AmeriCorps
250 E Street, SW
Washington, DC 20525
(202) 606-7503
eo@cns.gov

americorps farm to school logo and americorp logo