info@mountainrootsfoodproject.org PO Box 323 Gunnison, CO 81230
Farm to School
Mountain Roots Food Project’s Farm-to-School program provides access to fresh, local, organic, and homemade food for youth in private and public schools, preschools, and homeschoolers. We connect kids to the land by teaching how healthy food choices affect the health of their bodies, the environment, and the community. We teach kids how to plant, grow, and harvest, and how to identify, choose, prepare, and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating healthy foods, staying physically active, enjoying outdoor experiences, and connecting with the earth become an important part of children’s lives.
Simply providing occasional fresh food is not enough to create lasting changes in the health of our children, area farms, our community, local economy, and the environment. We build food security for kids by using and teach life skills to reconnect kids with their food and the land. We create and support programs which connect classroom studies with hands-on experiences, offering dynamic, life-long education which fosters sustainable living and makes teaching and learning come alive.
WHY FARM TO SCHOOL?
-
•Childhood obesity and type II diabetes rates are rising faster than ever (Gunnison County’s obesity rate was 15.2% in 2010)
-
•More than 1/3 of America’s children are obese
-
•Overall decline in physical activity, outdoor experiences, and environmental awareness
-
•Budget cuts sacrifice environmental education in schools to teach standards test subjects
-
•On average, children spend 4.5 hours a day in front of a screen
-
•Until recently, majority of school food has been highly processed, frozen, or contracted to chains such as Pizza Hut
-
•Centers for Disease Control advocate the needs for school-based nutrition education
-
•41% increase in fast food consumption in Gunnison County between 2007 and 2008
-
•Federally subsidized commercial agriculture offers cheaper food at a high cost to human and environmental health
-
•Only 1 in 10 kids eat the recommended number of fruits and vegetables daily
-
•When foods are sourced and used locally, health improves, students are more engaged, energy is conserved, and dollars are circulated back into the local economy.
WHAT CAN I DO?
We’re taking small steps to make lasting changes for more than 1800 youth. We need volunteers to help with all of our projects -- from foraging, local lunches, hands-on lessons, guest chefs and taste testing, to youth gardens and summer camps. Each school has a Farm to School team that meets monthly to plan projects and put them into action. Join us! Gunnison: THIRD THURSDAYS at 4 pm at GCS; Crested Butte: SECOND TUESDAYS at 8:45 a.m. @ the Buckaroo Beanery
Or, help with behind-the-scenes work, like writing nutrition articles, designing our newsletter, managing our mailing lists, or accounting.
Subscribe to our newsletter on our home page to stay in the loop and learn with us.
[articles for healthier lifestyle choices
for all ages]
Supporters
Our programs are run by volunteers -- parents, school staff, community members, farmers, and more -- we couldn’t do it without you!
Partial funding comes from the Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley, and the Town of Crested Butte, Rotary Clubs, Top O’ The World Garden Club, private donations, and local fundraisers.
Mountain Roots Food Project is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible.