Since 2010, we have supported Pre-K-12 students with Food Education that is part of teachers’ classrooms and fosters informed food choices.
See the Impact
Get your seat at the table for the culinary fundraising event of the year! For one night only, the brightest stars of Chicago’s food scene come together to raise funds for Pilot Light’s Food Education mission. Get your tickets today while they last!
Presenting Partner: Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation
Learn from the experts: Pilot Light Educator Ryan Johnson shares the inside scoop on all things teaching science through Food Education! Connect our Food Education Standards and the NGSS to enhance your curriculum and improve student outcomes.
Your gift in any amount supports Food Education in classrooms and communities throughout the year.
If your company matches gifts to nonprofits like Pilot Light, here are easy instructions on how to double the impact of your gift. We also have instructions on how to make a gift of stock.
We welcome you to sign up for our newsletter, contact us, and check out our blog!
We are looking for individuals who are passionate about Food Education and creating impact through our programs to join our team!
Today`s Feed Your Mind Gala Sponsor Spotlight is on: Paula and Tim Friedman!
We are thrilled to welcome this powerhouse couple as new individual sponsors of our 2026 Feed Your Mind Gala. Thank you to the Friedman family for investing in our mission to make Food Education for ALL students a reality! We are so excited to welcome you into the Pilot Light community and can`t wait to celebrate with you on Nov. 6th!
Tables, tickets, and sponsorships of the 2026 Feed Your Mind Gala are still available! Learn more at feedyourmindgala.org ✨
Today`s Fellow Friday spotlight is on: Julie K.!
Julie K. has worked as an educator for over twenty years, most recently at Springside Chestnut Hill (SCH) Academy in Philadelphia. Working within SCH’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, she grew particularly interested in how entrepreneurial mindsets and skills can drive more sustainable and just food systems—those that are climate-friendly, advance social progress, and offer pathways for economic development. As she searched for resources to support food-centered teaching and learning, she discovered Pilot Light’s Food Education Standards, which proved instrumental in shaping her 6th-grade “Food Entrepreneurship” class. In addition to teaching, Julie writes non-fiction books for young readers. Her recent series, Civic Eats, investigates ways kids can take action to improve food systems. While researching the series, she spoke with several Pilot Light alumni whose work inspired her to apply for the Fellowship.
Learn more about the new Civic Eats series here: https://www.chestnuthilllocal.com/stories/food-for-thought-sch-teacher-releases-civic-eats-series,41909
"I’m most excited to collaborate with the community of Pilot Light educators, especially around questions relating to the future of food. I want to explore how we can equip young learners with the agency, knowledge, and responsibility to reshape food systems in a warming, urbanizing world. What can we learn from the past? How can we innovate for the future? I can’t wait to explore these topics with my students, our school community, and the Pilot Light cohort." -Julie K.
Welcome to the Pilot Light community, and congrats on your new book series for young readers, Julie K.!
