West Coast Seeds is a proud supporter of the amazing organization, Growing Chefs. These “Chefs for Children’s Urban Agriculture” bring food into the urban classroom in the form of raw ingredients that are completely unfamiliar to the students. Their mission is to educate children, families, and community members about healthy eating and healthy food systems.
Over the course of three and a half months, the chefs visit the classroom every two weeks, helping the students plant and tend to indoor vegetable gardens. The chefs engage the students in games, lessons, and activities focusing on plant growth, local and urban agriculture, sustainability, and nutrition. The students harvest their vegetables, and the chefs teach them to cook delicious, healthy meals with what they have grown.
This core concept throws open the doors of imagination and exploration. It ties together the skills of growing food and cooking food, both of which cultivate creativity and a life-long passion to learn more. For kids in urban settings, the opportunity to understand that food doesn’t simply come from the grocery store can be transformative.
Growing Chefs need support from outside donors in order to provide these amazing classroom experiences. There are even more ways to donate to Growing Chefs. Hold a fundraiser, or become a volunteer — they have a sophisticated, tried and true plan for schools, and they are able to help you help them. They are also set up to translate their program to fit other school models, so this kind of programming to spread to other provinces and states.
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Keep up-to-date on what’s happening at Growing Chefs! on Their Blog.