“A child cannot learn if they’re hungry.” -Shelia Alston
Baltimore City Public Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services employees prepare and distribute more than 88,000 meals to students every day. Even when school buildings closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, these essential workers continued to feed city students and their families.
Food For Thought was a collaboration between the Baltimore Museum of Industry and the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) staff at Baltimore City Public Schools. The exhibition consisted of worker portraits by photojournalist J.M. Giordano, interviews produced by Aaron Henkin, and hands-on activities that offered an opportunity to engage with the subject of school meals. The exhibition closed in early 2024. A satellite version of the exhibition was on display in the lobby of City Schools headquarters.
Supported by the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, this project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Baltimore City Public Schools Food and Nutrition Service department, with additional support from Freestate Electric, Safeway, Delaplaine Foundation, McCormick and Co., Southway Builders, Saval Foodservice, and Edward St. John Foundation.
