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Empowering
School Food
The Urban School Food Alliance is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created by school food service professionals in 2012 to address the unique needs of the nation’s largest school districts. Our members collaborate to share best practices, develop procurement standards, and advocate for the health and wellness of students.

By the Numbers
Each step we take makes us hungrier for progress, resulting in more smiling students in our schools.

Districts
Participating

Schools
Served

Million
Students

Million
Meals Served

Million
Spent on Procurement
2024 USFA Annual Report
In 2024, with the community of the Urban School Food Alliance, we opened many opportunities to impact the lives of people beyond the 4.2 million children served meals in our schools every day. Look back with us through just a fraction of the accomplishments of The Alliance and its member districts over the last year.
BOOST THE ROOST Chicken Pilot
The Boost the Roost Pilot was a nearly four-year project with layers of research, planning, challenges, and successes – we’re excited to share the journey with you!
To learn more, visit the USFA Boost the Roost page and check out the booklet below!
USFA Member district LA Unified continues to experience tremendous loss in the communities they serve.
As you are able, please help support LAUSD Foodservice Team members who have lost their homes due to the fires via the GoFundMe fundraiser.
Any support is greatly appreciated!

Our
Responsibility
With the majority of our students qualifying for free or reduced-priced meals due to financial hardships, school meals provide the most consistent source of daily nutrition for these children. As the Alliance, we understand our great responsibility to provide access to healthy meals for our students. When students eat well, they also do well in school.
Our
Approach
To provide fresh, healthy and delicious meals to students, member districts work together on policy, share best practices and leverage our purchasing power to continue to drive food quality up and costs down while incorporating sound environmental practices.


Prioritizing
School Meals
“School meals play a critical role in a child’s ability to succeed in the classroom and in the future. The Urban School Food Alliance uses the collective strength of its member districts to ensure that the quality and accessibility of those meals is never diminished.”
Dr. Katie Wilson, Executive Director

Working Together:
Our Districts
Urban School Food Alliance began in 2012 with 6 founding districts: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, and Orlando. Since then USFA has grown our membership to include 18 districts across the United States, working together to provide fresh, healthy and delicious meals to students.



















Partners & Supporters
The Alliance is made possible in part by the hard work and generosity of our partners and supporters, who are dedicated to furthering our mission and shaping the future of school meals nationwide.
Join the Conversation
The latest news and headlines from Urban School Food Alliance
Urban School Food Alliance Releases 2024 Annual Report Highlighting Progress in School Meal Programs Across the Nation
Feb 27, 2025
Washington D.C. – February 24, 2025 – The Urban School Food Alliance (USFA), a coalition of the nation’s largest...
AMNY: Op-Ed | A recipe for change: NYC’s journey to healthy, delicious school meals
Nov 5, 2024
From amNew York: "School food has long been synonymous with unappetizing meals. During my own school days, I...
Urban School Food Alliance welcomes Gwinnett County Public Schools to membership
Aug 15, 2024
WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2024 – The Urban School Food Alliance, a collaborative of the largest school districts in...
D Magazine: The Hardest Working Cooks in Dallas
Aug 13, 2024
Tiny children at Julian T. Saldivar Elementary School line up in their classrooms promptly at 10 am before...