I just started serving with FoodCorps two weeks ago. FoodCorps is a national non-profit organization that teaches school children in primarily underserved areas about eating fresh, healthy food. There are 182 service members in 17 states this year, and one FoodCorps fellow for each state. A shout out to Nicki Jimenez '12 who is now the fellow for Arizona.
I am serving in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which is 75 miles from NYC and is one of the most gentrified cities in the U.S. My primary aim in Bridgeport is to create school garden committees at as many of the 32 public schools as I can within an 11-month term of service. The purpose of these garden committees will be to foster a sustained body of interested and concerned teachers, parents, and staff who want to provide hands-on experiences for kids to learn about where their food really comes from. A school garden has many functions from providing an outdoor classroom, to landscape beautification, to being a source of fresh food for the cafeterias.
Ultimately, my goal is to give kids knowledge about eating healthy, access to fresh food, and a space where they can engage in the process growing food. Although I am only a few weeks into my service, I hope to accomplish this goal and make it last by creating the garden committees to support lasting change towards making children healthier in the schools of Bridgeport.