Healthy Community Action Team (HCAT) Arlington has completed a joint initiative with D.C. Food Project that launched “Share Tables” at 10 Arlington public schools to help combat food insecurity and reduce food waste in the community.
Share Tables are places where students can place unopened and uneaten food they have chosen not to eat during school meals, giving their classmates the chance to take additional helpings that otherwise would have been thrown away.
With nearly one-third of those attending APS schools qualifying for free school meals, this initiative will both help lower food insecurity among local children and reduce the unnecessary food waste often seen in cafeterias, boosters say.
“The Share Table initiative is simple and effective, and kids pick up the concept very quickly,” HCAT Arlington coordinator Mary Sanders said. “Schools are seeing less food wasted during school meals, and kids have healthy food options for snacks during the school day.”
Before partnering with Sanders to launch a Share Table at Arlington’s Taylor Elementary School in spring 2023, D.C. Food Project already had successfully launched 16 Share Tables in District of Columbia public schools.
“We are thrilled to expand our successful Share Table program to Arlington County schools and help make a meaningful impact to reduce hunger, while providing healthy food options for students during the school day,” said Alysa McClellan and Lucie Leblois, co-founders of D.C. Food Project.
Based on a recent food-waste audit conducted by D.C. Food Project and HCAT Arlington, at least 75 percent of food at Share Tables is fresh fruits and vegetables.
“The students and staff appreciate [the Share Table],” said Karen Anselmo, assistant principal at Campbell Elementary. “Students have access to it throughout the school day, and staff in the cafeteria report that students often come down for snacks.”
The program has been established at Campbell, Carlin Springs, Drew, Hoffman-Boston, Innovation, Long Branch, Oakridge and Randolph elementary schools and Kenmore and Jefferson middle schools. Expansion of the project was made possible through a grant provided by the Arlington County government.
Escuela Key Elementary, also in Arlington, has implemented a Share Table with bilingual signage from DC Food Project since the fall of 2023.
