March 7, 2018
The Santa Fe Botanical Garden (SFBG) has recently embarked on a new endeavor in education. In partnership with fellow local non-profit, Cooking with Kids, SFBG is exploring the possibility of hosting an AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps works to engage adults in public service by providing organizations and agencies like ours with grants to support AmeriCorps members. AmeriCorps members then serve the community to meet critical needs in areas such as education, health, and economic opportunity.
As education is central to the missions of both the SFBG and Cooking with Kids, a collaboration seemed natural. Cooking with Kids works in schools to educate and empower children to make healthy food choices through hands-on learning. SFBG works, both in and out of schools, to educate the community on the region’s traditional and native plants.
These two organizations realized, that by combining their capacities and capabilities, they could educate children not only on how to prepare and try new foods, but on where that food comes from and how it grows. The proposed program would support AmeriCorps members serving as educators who would teach a combined garden and kitchen curriculum in various schools throughout Santa Fe. Currently funded by an AmeriCorps planning grant (awarded December 2017 and started in January 2018), the SFBG and Cooking with Kids are working together to explore the possibility of realizing such a program.
For more information, contact AmeriCorps Healthy Schools Planning Coordinator, Maddie Bavley, [email protected]
