A Summer of Love

Our Food Matters program is winding down for the summer….and oh what a beautiful summer it has been. We taught our classes to over 300 children at a variety of summer camps. We were clicking on all cylinders; children were tasting fresh foods, helping to create new recipes, learning about basic nutrition and in several of our camps, growing, weeding, watching, and harvesting in their own school gardens! As the manager of the Food Matters program, I observe as many classes as I can, each one a small window into the bigger picture happening at that school, for those children, teachers, and staff. When I look at the pictures from each school, I am filled with tears and a deep appreciation for the work we do with Local Matters, and the partners in the community who have joined us. 

The pictures here are from one of our partners, St. Vincent Family Center located on E. Main St. This center provides needed services for many community members, their families, and children. It has been a joy this summer to build a relationship with them, to see, literally, the fruits of our labor, as the children observe, work, and harvest in the garden. In the middle of the garden is a Three Sisters planting of corn, beans, and squash. There are tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, flowers, and more. 

On one of my visits, I noticed a boy in one of the classes who was so engaged with every aspect of the lesson. Perhaps a young botanist or community gardener in the making, he looked at each plant with such interest and wonder, he asked questions, made connections, and brought so much joy to the lesson with his curiosity. I can only image the impact some of these experiences may have on each of the children we work with.

Next week we will be testing the children at St. Vincent’s to see what they have learned. Testing can be a scary word for some, but this is a set of 10 basic questions about nutrition and growing food that we ask to each child that we have worked with. It is a time for us to connect with each child on an individual basis, find out what they have learned, and wish them a happy and healthy school year to come. Put simply, we love the children we work with and want the best for them and their families. Thank you to all of our partners this summer who have worked with us to make food, nutrition, cooking and growing skills a priority for the children we serve! Food Matters is now gearing up for our fall programming, the schools we will be returning to and the new schools we will be expanding into!

Blog Categories: Food Matters