SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY— With an abundance of fertile farmlands and a resurgence of passionate farmers and chefs, the Sullivan County community continues to transform its culinary landscape. A Single Bite, the nonprofit organization founded by Foster Supply Hospitality, added the Sullivan Catskills Regional Food Hub to its operation to take the next steps in educating the community about healthy living.

In the 2017 Census of Agriculture, nearly 400 farms were accounted for with a total of an estimated 60,000 acres in Sullivan County, making the community an epicenter for farm-to-table living. A Single Bite capitalized on this rural benefit and seeks to feed and educate local residents with real local products.

A Single Bite targeted the new generation, hoping to educate the young minds of Sullivan County as to what is on their dinner plates. A four-part inactive program, titled Real Food Education, will be presented to classrooms throughout the school district, primarily to sixth-grade students. The initiative is free and the organization partnered with the school administration, teachers, farmers and restaurants to provide an in-depth glance into sustainable nutrition.

“A lot of kids really haven’t had the opportunity to see how food is grown and understand what it looks like before it ends up on their cafeteria trays or dinner table,” said executive director Audrey Garro.

Education in four courses

The first session is held in the classroom where the students are introduced to the concept of real food as opposed to processed food. A Single Bite will provide the students with single bites, which are foods prepared by a chef using local ingredients. Students can venture outside their comfort zones and are encouraged to try dishes they may have never had before.

The following session brings students to a local farm. Rolling V Bus Corporation partnered with A Single Bite to provide the students with free transportation to all excursions. The buses will be transporting around 700 students around the county to experience the program’s nutritious lessons.

Next, students will visit one of Foster Supply Hospitality’s restaurants, sponsored by Sims and Kirsten Foster. At the restaurant, the class will learn about food economies, the preparation of ingredients, and the care that goes into making a meal. The social environment is designed to urge the students to share their own experiences, their likes and dislikes, and their favorite childhood meals.

The final session takes the students back into the classroom. Sharing some final bites and thoughts on the experience, A Single Bite will propose what’s in the future for the students. Regardless if students are seeking a career in culinary arts or agriculture, food is prevalent in everyone’s life.

“Hopefully, we are creating memories that will inspire [the students] to be more curious and to make good decisions in the future,” said Garro.

The Real Food Education Program will be included in family consumer science or health science classrooms during school hours and is open to all students.

Feeding the program

A Single Bite’s outreach expands further than the classroom. The organization provides weekly meals for families in the community people who are struggling to put healthy food on the table.

Currently, the program is being run, with the help of volunteers, at the Foster Supply kitchen in Youngsville at the previously established Hotel Clair. In recent developments, the organization has included the Sullivan Catskills Regional Food Hub, a 5,000-square-foot facility in Liberty, to expand helping hands across the county.

In the past, The Catskills Food Hub had previously partnered with over 40 producers to aggregate, distribute, and sell farm-raised-and-grown meats and vegetables, prepared foods, baked goods, and other value-added products to restaurants, markets, schools, and individuals.

Sims Foster, co-founder of A Single Bite, stated, “Operating the Catskills Food Hub enables us to expand our current family meal and education programs and become an essential part of Sullivan County’s food economy by adding local food distribution to our core mission.”

The larger commercial kitchen will allow the organization to provide more families with healthy meals. The family meal program, currently, feeds 135,000 meals to local families annually. The only requirement to be a part of the program is a child must be present in the household. Families that wish to participate in the program should visit asinglebite.org and will receive a follow-up call from A Single Bite representative. Each week, volunteers who are assigned to a section of the county deliver the meals.

Garro welcomes community members to assist A Single Bite in spreading its wholesome mission around the county.

“It’s very easy. If people are interested in volunteering to help us deliver meals, which is always a need that we have, we’re really grateful for their time. It’s only for about an hour once a week,” Garro noted.

Serving up farm to table

Farm-to-table living continues to take over the county as Sullivan 180 was recently rewarded the 2023 USDA Farm to School Grant: Empowering Youth Through Healthy, Local Food. The grant of $100,000 will goes toward enhancing the community’s health and well-being.

The grant establishes the School Nutrition Action Coalition (SNAC), which will monitor the healthy living programs for students. SNAC had partnered with Cornell Cooperative, Harvest NY, Sullivan County Youth Bureau , and A Single Bite to implement the initiative within the nine Sullivan County School districts. The mission of SNAC is to strengthen the relationship between the school and the community’s local producers.

Empowering the next generation, Sullivan 180 will also begin developing a youth-led campaign for the farm-to-school movement. Students can actively get involved and advocate for healthy living.

To inquire about volunteering or make a donation, visit asinglebite.org or call 845/482-1030.

For more about Sullivan 180, visit www.Sullivan180.org or call 845/295-2680.