Arabella's Support for The Food Literacy Project!

At The Food Literacy Project, I lead our after school and in school cooking and gardening programs for elementary students. At JCPS schools and with other community organizations, students enjoy food sovereignty education, build community, cook nourishing recipes with ingredients from our urban farm, and grow food in their school gardens. Students also become leaders, teaching us and classmates about recipes and plants that are important to them, their family, and culture. 

Each week, I hear from students that these programs mean something to them. “This is why I came to school today,” is what one of our 4th graders shared this week. 

As part of our leadership program, our Youth Community Agriculture Program (ages 15-21) supports the program as mentors while gaining paid experience. 

Additionally, on our youth-centered farm in the Okolona neighborhood, we grow thousands of fresh produce that is distributed to neighbors, schools, and other awesome community organizations (La Casita Center, Backside Learning Center, and Neighborhood House to name a few) along with seeds and plant starts. 

Help us continue to support youth in transforming their communities through food, farming, and the land and provide youth with safe spaces where they connect with each other and earth. 

-Arabella