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
We’re thrilled to announce our new Five-Year Strategic Plan: a path forward towards making Food Education for All a reality. Read the full strategic plan – and discover how you can help make it happen – today!
Every student deserves access to hands-on Food Education. Now, you can discover the incredible impact of your support by reading our latest Impact Report. Learn how Pilot Light teachers and students are creating a better food system future everyday!
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.
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We are looking for individuals who are passionate about Food Education and creating impact through our programs to join our team!
The ultimate Food Education experience! Head Chef and Butcher @rob_levitt of @publicanquality @publicanchicago provided an incredible experience to 8th grade students @deweyeagles this week by processing a @slagelfarms hog in the classroom, bringing their unit on Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle to life. Thank you so much to Chef Rob, Pilot Light Food Education Fellowship alum Leah G., and the entire Dewey Elementary community for making this unforgettable lesson possible!
ABOUT THE LESSON:
Literacy teacher Leah G. designed a unit diving deep on critical thinking and written analysis for her 8th grade students and made it relevant to their lived experience by integrating Food Education into her lessons. Students read Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, articles about the work of Temple Grandin, and finally got to hear from Rob Levitt first hand about his approach to farm-to-table butchery. They are working on essays analyzing each of these perspectives and identifying the successes of each approach to improving the meat processing industry in the United States.
ABOUT PILOT LIGHT:
Pilot Light is a Chicago-founded, nationally operating nonprofit that partners with educators to bring Food Education into everyday classroom learning. Founded by chefs @paulkahan, @jasonhammel, @matthias1966, and Justin Large in 2010, Pilot Light equips educators with the resources they need to make hands-on Food Education experiences like this one possible for more than 40,000 students nationwide. We proudly work with chefs, farmers, and partner organizations to give students a comprehensive understanding of the food system and the role they can play in shaping a better food future for us all. Learn more and support our mission at www.pilotlightchefs.org.
#foodeducation #chicagofoodies #foodliteracy
Every day, Pilot Light educators use the Food Education Standards to bring food to life in the classroom. The Standards build connections between health, culture, the environment, and our shared future. These educators` creativity and leadership have shown that Food Education is about more than nutrition: it is about equipping students with the knowledge and tools to navigate a complex food system and advocate for their communities.
Updated in 2025, the Food Education Standards provide PreK-12 educators a framework for comprehensive Food Education that can be integrated into core subjects like math, science, language arts, and more. Learn more and get the full Food Education Standards guide at www.pilotlightchefs.org.
#foodeducation #freeteacherresources #foodeducationstandards
