The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) released the 2023 Seattle Farm to Preschool Program Coordination and Food Procurement RFQ in late January with the goal of increasing food access for low-income and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) children and families who are part of the Seattle Preschool Program.
HSD is pleased to announce the results of the RFQ, which closed on March 10, 2023, releasing $282,656 of HSD Sweetened Beverage Tax dollars. The focus of the RFQ intends to support the Farm to Preschool program through two components:
- Program Coordination is designed to provide leadership and coordination to partner agencies that are part of the Seattle Farm to Preschool Program.
- Food Procurement and Stipend Management will assist participating preschool programs in procuring culturally relevant food from local farmers with a focus on Black, immigrant and refugee, women, LGBTQ, and tribal-owned farms.
The five-member rating committee represented a range of ages, genders, ethnicities, work and lived experiences. The panel supported funding the following agencies to provide program coordination and food procurement services to the Farm to Preschool Program. Congratulations to:
- Okumura Consulting and Creative, LLC
- Farmstand Local Foods
I consider it a great honor to work for this program, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue contributing.
Kelly Okumura, Owner, Okumura Consulting and Creative, LLC
Okumura Consulting and Creative, LLC can clearly communicate how the program has been developed over the years. Kelly Okumura, owner, has been building relationships with over fifty preschool site staff already, she is invested in this work and understands the coordination and need for a collaborative effort between the providers and the preschool sites.
We’re thrilled and grateful to continue supporting this program, the preschools, and all the families. We look forward to continuing to work with the City and all of the partners.
Farmstand Local Foods
Farmstand Local Foods is a small, mission-driven distributor of local food products that works directly with over 100 farmers in Washington state. They provide a seasonal, harvest-to-order online marketplace featuring a large selection of Washington-grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, dairy, meats, and shelf-stable goods. Farmstand Local Foods has nearly 10 years of experience providing locally grown, nutritious, and culturally relevant food from farms to preschools.
