A Northwest Indiana Life in the Spotlight: Veronica Jalomo

Long before Veronica Jalomo became the Farm to School Coordinator for the Northwest Indiana Food Council, she knew what it meant to work for your food. As the youngest of 13 children born to migrant farm workers in South Texas, her childhood was spent in the fields, not on playgrounds.

“I would say I was born into the food system, because my family was already working in agriculture,” Jalomo said.

Every year, her family made the journey north to Dowagiac, Michigan, where she worked alongside her parents and siblings, picking crops that would end up on kitchen tables across America. It was hard work that most kids today couldn’t imagine, but it taught her lessons that would shape her life’s mission.

“Those experiences alongside my mom helped shape this path for me,” Jalomo said. “I’d always see her giving to others, no matter if we had food on the table or not, it’s about paying it forward. That’s where my passion grew from and led me to doing social work.”

That passion now drives one of the Region’s most important food programs. Today, Jalomo works to make sure children across Northwest Indiana have access to healthy, locally grown food while also supporting the local farmers who grow it. Her journey has come full circle, from working in the fields as a child to making sure local food reaches local schools. 

“It’s all about work ethic, doing the hard work and giving to others,” Jalomo said. “I always approach things with a hardworking mentality, whether it’s my role as the Farm to School coordinator or any other job I’ve had in the past.”

Jalomo studied social work in college, and that’s when she really understood how many families struggle to get enough food. As a student with her own children to feed, she lived through those struggles herself. It made her determined to fix the problem.

“For me, I think having access to healthy food should be a right, not a privilege,” Jalomo said. 

Now, as a farm to school coordinator, she connects local farms with schools across the Region. Her program focuses on three main goals: getting local food into school cafeterias, teaching kids about nutrition, and helping schools start their own gardens.

“If you were to ask the average child where their food comes from, they would say it comes from the store, not knowing where it really comes from and where it is grown,” Jalomo explained. “My role as farm to school coordinator allows me to bridge the gap between the agricultural and educational sectors.”

The Foods for Schools program, which ran from 2023 to the summer of 2025, created what Jalomo called a “triple win.” Kids get fresh, healthy food, farmers get reliable customers for their crops, and money stays in Northwest Indiana, strengthening the local economy. 

“The impact from this initiative was amazing,” Jalomo said.  “Over the past two years, the local Food for Schools program brought in $1.4 million worth of food directly from regional farmers. That food went to 144 schools across 30 districts in Northwest Indiana. That’s not just a big number; it’s thousands of kids eating better food and dozens of local farmers earning a steady income.”

Jalomo is also part of the Lake Michigan Food System Innovative Hub, a partnership between four states where the Northwest Indiana Food Council leads efforts for Indiana. Through this work, she’s helping Northwest Indiana become known as a leader in local food systems.

“The Hub supports creative projects that fit the area’s needs,” Jalomo said. “One idea is the ‘farm stop,’ an indoor, year-round market for local products.”

Since moving to Portage in 2018, Jamolo has fallen in love with Northwest Indiana.

“My husband and I like to spend time hiking the Indiana Dunes and kayaking on Lake Michigan,” Jalomo said. “I love the natural beauty of the national park. I love being able to cross a street, hop on a trail, and head to the lake for the day. One of my favorite things about the area is Miller’s Pizza. It’s amazing.”

From migrant fields to leading food programs, Jamolo has dedicated her life to making sure both farmers and children are valued and fed. Her mother’s example of giving to others, regardless of the circumstances, has evolved into a career that has fed thousands while strengthening Northwest Indiana’s farms and schools.