About Us
Chef Ann Foundation is the nation’s champion for real food in schools.
We were founded when chef and “renegade lunch lady” Ann Cooper joined forces with parent and food systems change advocate Mara Fleishman. They built the Chef Ann Foundation to help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with scratch-cooked meals that are better for kids and the planet.
Today, our team of school food changemakers includes former school food service professionals with nearly 200 combined years of experience managing school meal programs, chefs, registered dietitians, sustainable agriculture and food systems specialists, public health experts, researchers, policy advocates, parents, and former kids who relied on school meals.
Since 2009, we’ve collectively advanced one goal: Get schools cooking.Â
Our Story
The Chef Ann Foundation gets schools cooking. We help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with fresh, healthy, and delicious scratch-cooked meals that nourish kids and protect the planet.Â
Our Story
The Chef Ann Foundation gets schools cooking. We help schools replace ultraprocessed foods with fresh, healthy, and delicious scratch-cooked meals that nourish kids and protect the planet.Â
Why School Food Matters
More than 30 million students eat school meals every day at school. The quality of these meals impact kids’ health and learning, as well as communities and the environment. Improving school food improves kids’ lives, the food system, and the planet.
Why School Food Matters
More than 30 million students eat school meals every day at school. The quality of these meals impact kids’ health and learning, as well as communities and the environment. Improving school food improves kids’ lives, the food system, and the planet.
Insights & Impact
From the cafeteria to the Capitol, we're working to transform the school food system. Read stories about the impact of our work and the people who power it.
Insights & Impact
From the cafeteria to the Capitol, we're working to transform the school food system. Read stories about the impact of our work and the people who power it.
Co-Founders Chef Ann Cooper & Mara Fleishman
Learn how a partnership between a "renegade lunch lady" and a mom of three bloomed into an organization that has brought better school meals to more than 5.9 million kids.
Co-Founders Chef Ann Cooper & Mara Fleishman
Learn how a partnership between a "renegade lunch lady" and a mom of three bloomed into an organization that has brought better school meals to more than 5.9 million kids.
Our Team
The Chef Ann Foundation is a registered, tax-exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization governed by a dedicated board of directors who share our mission. Meet them and our dedicated staff who manage day-to-day operations.
Our Team
The Chef Ann Foundation is a registered, tax-exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization governed by a dedicated board of directors who share our mission. Meet them and our dedicated staff who manage day-to-day operations.
Financials & Annual Reports
The Chef Ann Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives funding from individuals, corporate, public and private sources. We also share annual reports that summarize our program work for the year.
Financials & Annual Reports
The Chef Ann Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that receives funding from individuals, corporate, public and private sources. We also share annual reports that summarize our program work for the year.
Employment
Check out our current open positions and our hiring information.
Employment
Check out our current open positions and our hiring information.
