Three years after unveiling a $5 million, five-year initiative aimed at improving nutrition in schools, The Campbell’s Co. is getting high marks. As the Camden-based soup and snack giant’s signature community affairs program, Full Futures seeks to advance the health of families in areas where it has operations.

During the 2023-24 school year, the effort expanded further in Campbell’s hometown, as well as in Charlotte, N.C., where the company’s bakery is located. It was also introduced in Hanover, Pa., another manufacturing hub for Campbell’s.

Altogether, Campbell’s, in partnership with public school districts as well as several nonprofit and corporate entities, reached 12,000 students, caregivers, and school staff through a variety of activities and classes, according to the company.

With kids consuming more than half of their daily calories at school, Campbell’s and its partners believe districts have an opportunity to help students adopt healthier eating habits.

Through Full Futures, Campbell’s aims to develop a model that can be customized for school districts across the U.S. It is built upon four pillars, all of which have specific and measurable goals:

• Culture: Building a foundation of healthy habits through policies, programs and partnerships.
• Infrastructure: Providing schools with the equipment and training needed to serve nutritious meals and teach about nutrition.
• Nutrition education: Empowering students and families with knowledge about healthy eating.
• Food access: Expanding year-round access to nourishing food, both within schools and throughout communities.

“The progress of Full Futures is only possible through the power of collaboration,” said Kate Barrett, president of The Campbell’s Foundation, in a report highlighting the past year. “Schools are more than just places of learning – they’re community hubs that play an essential role in feeding and caring for students and families.”

Barrett, who leads the company’s community affairs work, continued, “Our district and nonprofit partners are the core of this effort, working together to make a lasting impact on the school community.”

Officially rolled out in Camden City Schools during the 2021-22 school year, Full Futures continued collaborating with the district’s nutrition team and partners: Food Bank of South Jersey, Wellness in the Schools, The Common Market, Whitsons Culinary Group, Center for Family Services and New Jersey American Water. Additionally, Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a national nonprofit focused on helping young people achieve lifelong good health, returned as lead partner.

During Year Three, more than 7,000 students and 1,700 adults benefited from Full Futures programming and activities, such as monthly farmers markets at Camden schools, culinary staff professional development and training, and cooking classes for families, according to Campbell’s.

Commenting on the outcome, Alliance for a Healthier Generation CEO Kathy Higgins said, “Full Futures is a shining example of how public-private partnerships can drive meaningful change in school nutrition.”

She went on to describe the initiative as an example of how local efforts “can grow into a larger movement for equitable whole child health.”

“We look forward to further collaboration with Campbell’s to meet the essential nutrition needs of students and their families, so they can live healthy and happy lives,” Higgins added.

Arlethia Brown, senior director of school nutrition for Camden City School District, stressed the importance of teaching children healthy eating “and how to build a healthy community.”

“It truly takes a village to accomplish the critical work we’re doing, and I’m incredibly grateful for the strong partnerships we’ve built to support the children of Camden,” she said. “The power of collaboration allows us to provide not just meals, but opportunities for growth, learning and well-being. Together we’re proving that school meals are more than just food they’re a foundation for brighter futures.”

Keeping it fresh

In Camden, Year Three focused on expanding community access to fresh and local food, supporting youth leadership, and offering training opportunities for students and staff on food and nutrition, according to Campbell’s.

Farmers markets hosted at schools across the district were a new addition during the 2023-24 school year.

Between October 2023 and August 2024, CCSD’s school nutrition team organized 11 events that provided the public with an opportunity to select complimentary, local products procured by The Common Market, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit regional wholesale food distributor.

Attendees also connected with local farmers, explored resources offered by community partners, and sampled fresh and culturally relevant food through cooking demonstrations, according to Campbell’s.

Altogether, 37,000 pounds of food were distributed to 758 shoppers, which ultimately benefitted 3,000 household members, the company said.

An additional 2,100 produce boxes – including 900 kits donated by the Food Bank of South Jersey – were given out in the community, supporting more than 600 families. Other free and reduced-price food access opportunities were available to families at school-based pantries and at Saturday brunch events, Campbell’s said.

The school district’s nutrition team also continued to release its monthly “What’s Cooking in Camden?” newsletter, highlighting events, special menu items and resources. As an incentive to visit school-based farmers markets, participants who brought a copy of the newsletter received a coupon for an extra item.

During Year Three, Wellness in the Schools, a New York organization focused on inspiring healthy eating and fitness for kids in public schools, led a variety of professional development opportunities for 150 food service and student workers across the district.

Each week, three WITS chefs rotated through 16 schools where they taught culinary skills, provided support to school cooks, and helped prepare new items for students and staff to try.

Additionally, three small group “CookCamp” training sessions for 30 kitchen leads and cooks focused on cleaning and storage standards, recipe preparation and wellness activities.

Full Futures continued to work on developing recipes that incorporate delicious and nutritious options into school menus. As part of that effort, over 40 “TryDay Friday” tastings were hosted to introduce new foods. During meal service, students and staff received an item to try in the lunch line and were asked to provide feedback via a simple voting system to help determine which would be added to the menu in the future.

According to Campbell’s, the most popular dishes were fruit & yogurt parfaits with homemade granola and Shepherd’s Pie — both of which featured local ingredients.

Since Full Futures began in Camden, Wellness in the Schools has helped create or update more than 50 recipes featured at TryDay Friday. Several of these dishes have become permanent menu items, Campbell’s said.

The Camden City School District once again worked with The Common Market to receive weekly deliveries of locally sourced produce from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Among the dozens of farm fresh goodies: apple butter, apple cider, broccoli, butterhead lettuce, cabbage, callaloo, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cheeses, cherries, chicken, fennel, garlic, honey, kiwi berries, parsnips, potatoes, romaine lettuce, turnips and yams.

Along with money from the district’s operating budget, additional resources were provided through the Full Futures program to support farm-to-school efforts. Incentive funds were also used to procure items for school-based farmers markets.

Besides increasing student access to fresh, wholesome foods, Full Futures prides itself on boosting economic opportunities for farmers.

According to Campbell’s, $226,000 was reinvested during Year Three into local economies and supported 42 local farms. More than half of those farms are in New Jersey, the company said.

The school district also provided long-term purchasing commitments to three farms owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers: Innoculated Farms, K&J Farms and Provenance Farm.

Let’s get cooking

To help kids and families learn about nutrition, healthy meal prep and good lifelong habits, the Food Bank of South Jersey led more than 60 nutrition education sessions this year in schools and throughout the community.

Those programs include:

• Cooking Matters: A series of interactive cooking lessons tailored to children, teens or families. Participants learn about dietary guidelines, prepare food in class and are then given ingredients to replicate recipes at home.
• Two Bite Club: A class that introduces children to new food items and encourages them to take “two bites.” This year, little ones tried Asian pears, grapefruit, papaya, pea shoots and sweet potatoes.

Over 300 people were reached through these classes and activities, according to Campbell’s.

Of those participants, 92% said they now have a better understanding of how to eat healthily and 87% are interested in choosing food and drinks that are better for them going forward. Seventy-six percent tried a new food, too.

To promote healthy eating and sustainability, Full Futures launched a program designed to engage youth in food preparation, gardening and community outreach.

Six student ambassadors got involved with supporting the school-based farmers markets and assisting with maintenance of six garden beds across the district, as well as harvesting produce for use in the cafeteria or shared with families for home use.

They also weighed in on development of cafeteria menus and advocating for the school meals program, Campbell’s said.

Additionally, the team received food safety training from Wellness in the Schools on the importance of maintaining a clean workspace, proper handwashing and knife skills. Students took part in interactive cooking lessons led by Wellness in the Schools and Food Bank of South Jersey, too.

Full Futures continued to connect with middle- and high-school age students through the Camden Youth Advisory Council. The teen-led group provides a platform for kids to learn about, advocate for and implement initiatives to create a healthier community.

According to Campbell’s, the Food Bank of South Jersey coordinated more than 40 meetings, activities, and trips for 10 middle and high school students from across the district who participate in the CYAC.

Those excursions included meeting with the New Jersey Office of the Food Security Advocate to learn about the state’s food insecurity programs and how they develop new policy initiatives to combat hunger and facilitate greater access to food relief programs. They also visited Specca Farms, Free Haven Farms and Mood’s Farm Market to learn more about how food is grown

Campbell’s chef Gerald Drummond coordinated a soup prototyping activity, where the kids developed two custom recipes.

Beyond Camden

In its second program year, Full Futures continued to support culinary and agriculture education for students of all ages in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The program reached more than 1,550 students and 1,400 adults, Campbell’s said.

Highlights from the year include aquaponics and hydroponics system installations and related curriculum; Family Nutrition Nights promoting healthy eating habits and fostering community connections through interactive activities and free produce; and farm-to-school internships to provide high school students with valuable professional experience related to sustainable agriculture and culinary arts

The program also included nutrition education at mobile farmers markets with hands-on cooking demonstrations and nutrition education, focusing on food preparation, storage and label reading. And students went on field trips and participated in hands-on cooking lessons, empowering students to make informed food choices, develop culinary skills and understand the importance of sustainable food practices.

Full Futures is also in the process of rolling out in the South Western School District in Hanover during the 2024-25 school year.

According to Campbell’s, the inaugural year’s focus will focus on boosting family engagement around nutrition and healthy eating, increasing access to fresh and local foods at school, and supporting curriculum development and common language for nutrition education across the community.