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# Santa Monica recognized for its salad bars
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-recognized-for-its-salad-bars/
- Published: 2003-06-11T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T02:18:12.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

Santa Monica’s mayor on Monday was recognized at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Denver for improving the quality of life here.

Mayor Richard Bloom received an outstanding achievement award in the 2003 City Livability Awards Program for his exemplary leadership in developing programs that improve the quality of life in America’s cities.

The award centered around the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market salad bar program. Now in its fifth year, it’s a multi-agency effort that demonstrates Bloom’s ability and city staff to lead, inspire and shape good public policy, officials say.

Working from within City Hall and a mandate from a Sustainable City resolution, Bloom and city staff were able to achieve policy goals in the school district by providing fresh, farmer direct salad bar lunches to every Santa Monica student.

As a result of the program, Santa Monica students have access to more nutritious food at a cost savings to the school district and California farmers have realized a new source of recognition and revenue, officials say.

An independent panel of judges, selected by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, determined the winning cities from a pool of 219 applicants, based on three criteria — mayoral leadership, creativity and innovation, and broad impact on the quality of life for residents.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 11, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061103.pdf?ref=smdp.com)