Last year, the Chef Ann Foundation received national recognition reflecting the kind of impact we mean when we talk about a changemaker ecosystem, a network of nonprofits, partners, and purpose driven organizations working every day to strengthen communities and create systems level change.
Mara Fleishman, CEO of the Chef Ann Foundation (CAF), was awarded the 2025 Nation of Neighbors℠ Empowerment Award and a $20,000 grant from Royal Neighbors of America (RNA), a nonprofit life insurance organization dedicated to protecting families and strengthening communities.
This recognition honors Mara’s national leadership in transforming school food systems and uplifting the overwhelmingly women led school food workforce. RNA’s grant will help expand the Colorado Healthy School Food Pathway, a federally registered workforce development program that trains and elevates school food professionals. Congratulations Mara!
Bluestone’s longtime friends at 1% for the Planet (1%FTP) introduced us to CAF. In 2017, before a trip to Boulder, CO, we asked 1%FTP what outstanding nonprofits were located there. CAF was one of their recommendations.
It was during the pandemic in 2020 that we came to fully appreciate how critical CAFs work is to the health of our children and our communities. There are 30 million school meals served a day! CAFs incredible team collaborates with school food service professionals around the country to transform ultra-processed pre-packaged food into healthy scratch cooked meals for healthier kids, resilient food systems, stronger local economies, and women’s economic empowerment across the country.
The RNA grant accelerates CAF’s national impact, including:
- Expanding workforce training for the 93% women-led school food workforce
- Supporting school districts transitioning to healthy scratch cooking
- Strengthening the school food workforce professional pipeline through paid apprenticeships and leadership development
Seeing CAF recognized by RNA underscores exactly why we’ve been supporters for nearly a decade. This honor highlights not just Mara’s leadership, but the deeply interconnected work of organizations like CAF, RNA, 1%FTP, and Bluestone Life, each part of a growing ecosystem committed to health, equity, and community resilience.
Local reporting also highlighted this milestone, noting that Mara and CAF were honored specifically for their innovation, leadership, and community-level impact.
The Chef Ann Foundation, Royal Neighbors of America, and Bluestone Life all share a belief that when we invest in the people who nourish our communities - women, families, frontline workers - we strengthen entire systems.
We are grateful for the partnership and collaboration that keeps this work moving forward.
If you’re a RNA member and know a woman like Mara driving transformative community impact, consider nominating her for the 2026 Nation of Neighbors℠ Award.
If you’re not a RNA member, consider joining their mission driven community. RNA has been supporting women, families, and local communities for more than 130 years.
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