Change starts by listening, which is why the Innovation Hub engaged school food system leaders to develop a powerful roadmap for reimagining what’s possible for school meals. This was done with help from Action for Healthy Kids through a project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Since joining the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub in 2023, Action for Healthy Kids has brought its passion and expertise in helping communities support whole child health as a trusted partner in training, technical assistance, evaluation and assessment.
During a six-month mixed-method needs assessment, Action for Healthy Kids worked with Innovation Hub State Leads to hear from 37 school food professionals, farmers, producers, distributors, industry experts, and community-based organizations across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Through focus groups, interviews, surveys, and research, they identified 21 training and technical assistance priorities in a roadmap shaped directly by the people doing the work.
With this insight, the Action for Healthy Kids training team collaborated with the Innovation Hub to design four 90-minute interactive sessions in 2024 and 2025, focusing on the most requested topics and the overarching priorities of the Innovation Hub:
- Engaging Students and Families: A Shift to More Inclusive Food Service Practices in School Meals
- Value Chain Coordination: Improve Food Systems through Social Networks
- Celebrating Innovation: A Showcase of Grantee Achievements
- Celebrating Staffing Innovation in School Meals
Each grantee was expected to have at least one team member attend each of the trainings, which were spread throughout the year. With State Leads and Innovation Hub partners also in attendance, each training averaged about 40 participants.
Connecting though Training
“These sessions weren’t about lectures,” explained an Action for Healthy Kids facilitator. “They were about giving people tools they could put into action steps right away and a network of peers they could lean on long after the sessions ended.” Each training blended mini-teach presentations, discussion prompts and peer-to-peer exchange. Breakout rooms gave participants space to network and problem-solve in smaller groups. Interactive elements kept energy high, while action planning tools, session guides and a dedicated resource web page made it easy to put learning into practice.
Adapting to Feedback
Grantees completed evaluations following each training, which were used to adapt and improve future training. Grantees shared: “Partnership is key,” “I loved this meetup,” “It’s nice to meet others working in the same space and hearing about their projects,” and “Wish we had more time in the networking sessions!” Action for Healthy Kids responded by developing training devoted to grantee spotlights, making more time for breakout groups, and considering future opportunities to make time for deeper connection among grantees.
Building a Community of Practice
Action for Healthy Kids’ role in the Innovation Hub extends beyond facilitation. By aligning training strategies with grantee and partner feedback, the team ensures that each session stays responsive, accessible, and relevant. Office hours provide space for one-on-one support, while networking opportunities connect grantees across states and sectors. Looking ahead to 2026 when new grantees are welcomed to the community, Action for Health Kids will add three community of practice meetings focused on peer-to-peer sharing and learning. Grantees can choose the offerings most meaningful to their work.
Training is about more than sharing information. It’s about building skills, confidence, and relationships that sustain change. At the heart of this work is a shared vision of transformation: school meals that are more local, more nourishing, and more loved. In collaboration with the Innovation Hub, Action for Healthy Kids is nurturing a community of practice – one that is ready to reimagine what’s possible for school food.