Interfaith Food Awards 3 Congregations Mini Grants for Youth Food Access Programming
In September of 2016, the Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative’s Advisory Board approved awards for 3 congregations advancing innovative food access programming serving youth. The awards are $900 each. Two grants will support ongoing programs involving churches serving public schools and one will support new programming:
First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael will use the funds to grow its Youth on the Move Program serving Shore Elementary School. The program includes a weekly cooking class where students prepare healthy, organic food recipes provided by program partner Chef Hollie Green, Founder of JoyFoodly. The grant will allow expansion of the current gardening program to include a gardening class that offers students hands-on activities with planting, harvesting and garden care and soil maintenance.
The Presbyterian Church of the Roses, in Santa Rosa, will use funds to support a volunteer led meal program that serves free breakfast to about 90 Montgomery High School students every school day of the year. The grant will allow Church of the Roses to revise their purchasing to focus on local and organic products.
The Church of the Incarnation’s youth group will lead development of a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program for members of this Episcopal Congregation in downtown Santa Rosa. The CSA program will also be available to neighbors and members of surrounding communities. Youth will have a leadership role in selecting the farm partner and promoting the CSA to potential subscribers. The youth group will also take part in gleaning apples as well as making and selling value-added apple products to support mission work.
These mini-grants were made possible through a generous grant from the Fulton Foundation.