New Grant Allows Seeds for Learning to Expand Beyond the Farm and Into the Community

Foundations is pleased to announce that Seeds for Learning, its urban farm and entrepreneurship program, is growing. The summer and year-round afterschool program based at Martin Luther King High School in Northwest Philadelphia will broaden its scope through a $10,000 grant from the Green Tree Community Health Foundation. Seeds for Learning teaches young people essential academic, business, and citizenship skills while also increasing their knowledge about nutrition and access to fresh produce.

The one-year grant, running through June 2010, will allow for the expansion of the program into Seeds for Learning – Beyond the Farm. Starting this summer, a Community Lunch program will create opportunities for students to share information about nutrition and engage in healthy, social meals with members of their community. The Green Tree Community Health Foundation is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to improve the health and well being of underserved populations in Northwest Philadelphia and eastern Montgomery County.

Seeds for Learning seeks to address the challenges associated with urban living, including minimal exposure to fresh produce and limited information about good nutrition, which together can lead to diet-related health problems. A unique program for inner city teenagers, Seeds for Learning includes an urban farm, greenhouse, farm stand, and marketplace – all located on the grounds of Martin Luther King High School. Now in its second year, Seeds for Learning builds nutritional awareness by encouraging young people to be good stewards of the earth and of their bodies.

The new Community Lunch program will operate once a week for ten weeks during the summer, concurrent with the Seeds for Learning farming program. Students who work on the farm will collaborate with a professional chef from a local restaurant to create healthy meals using food they have grown and harvested. Diners will include a range of community groups, from preschool-aged children to shelter and nursing home residents and the elderly. As a culminating event, participating students will compile recipes from the program and produce a Community Lunch Cookbook.

"This generous grant takes Seeds for Learning to the next level," notes Foundations President and CEO Rhonda H. Lauer. "With the addition of the Community Lunch program, students will be even more engaged with the local community, not only selling the produce they grow but also teaching others about its nutritional value and how to cook it. And in the process, they will gain valuable public speaking experience by sharing their new knowledge with their peers and community members."

Foundations hopes to further expand Seeds for Learning – Beyond the Farm in the fall. Plans for the 2009-2010 academic year include student-run Food for Thought nutrition workshops. Twice a week afterschool, students will conduct research and learn how to develop and deliver presentations. They will be responsible for the content, design, and delivery of the workshops and will develop real-world solutions for encouraging healthy eating among their peers. Throughout the school year, participants will lead workshops at Martin Luther King High School, other area schools, and local community centers.

Foundations, Inc., a nonprofit organization, is committed to building the quality of educational opportunities for children, youth, and families through work with public and charter schools, school districts, education and community-based organizations, and the afterschool field. As a capacity-building organization, Foundations focuses on professional development, technical assistance, program development, and supporting tools, publications, and services. Martin Luther King High School is part of Foundations’ Neighborhood School Network in Northwest Philadelphia.

A community health advocate, the Green Tree Community Health Foundation is a not-for-profit public charity that identifies areas of vulnerability in the communities of Northwest Philadelphia and Eastern Montgomery County and provides funding to organizations whose work addresses these needs. The Foundation seeks to have a positive impact on current and emerging health issues and risks, empowering residents to access health services and value, embrace and maintain their health.