Ascension St. Michael’s Hospital in Stevens Point has enjoyed a decades-long relationship with the Stevens Point Area YMCA as innovative partners with a common goal of improving the health and well-being of residents of Portage County.  
With support from Ascension St. Michael’s, the YMCA works cooperatively with area farmers and local businesses, Master Gardeners and volunteers, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the federal AmeriCorps program to implement and continue a successful Farm to School program. 
“This program works to decrease childhood obesity by promoting healthy eating habits in students and increase access to and knowledge of local food sources,” said Margo Willard, Community Benefits Coordinator at Ascension St. Michael’s. “Through early intervention and education, Farm to School is designed to improve the overall health and well-being of a community by establishing healthier eating habits and increasing physical activity.” 
AmeriCorps volunteers reported that the goals set for the 2019-20 session were met, despite being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Stevens Point Area Farm to School was able to provide over 135 nutrition education lessons to over 550 students. In addition, they provided locally sourced food, nutrition education and activities at over 13 area community events, serving several thousand members of the community. The program also provided nearly 4,000 locally sourced snacks from over 30 different farmers. Lastly, over 500 pounds of produce were harvested from the YMCA gardens.
During Safer at Home, through a social media platform (@YMCAFarmtoSchool), virtual nutrition education and farm tours, healthy snack recipes and cooking lessons as well as gardening tips and resources were shared. 
Students in the program gained a better understanding of the benefits of buying from local farmers, an introduction to a larger variety of produce and taught what participants can grow and how to grow it.