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Related Programs:

School Market Program
This program is a hands-on learning curriculum that teaches students to improve their diets, develop employment and entrepreneurial skills, and educate themselves about issues that affect their health and the health of their communities.

Farmers’ Market Program
At the farmers' markets, our staff uses interactive displays as well as informal educational opportunities that often happen around small group and individual discussions.

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Kindergarten Initiative

The Kindergarten Initiative promotes healthy communities by teaching young children and their parents about food, farms and nutrition. The Kindergarten Initiative works with kindergarten students in the classroom, integrating nutrition concepts into the regular school curriculum as well as providing healthy fruit and vegetable snacks grown by local farmers.

Kindergarten Initiative Toolkit

The Kindergarten Initiative toolkit outlines the story of how The Food Trust created a program that promotes healthy eating through education, snacks from local farms, parent involvement, and community support. It also demonstrates options for implementing a similar program in your area by tailoring the Kindergarten Initiative to suit your particular needs.

Winner of the Victory Against Hunger Award by the Congressional Hunger Center

 

You can download a free pdf version of the Toolkit by clicking here. Or you can order the printed Toolkit on our Reports and Resource page.

Key Components of the Kindergarten Initiative

  • Integrating Nutrition and Agriculture Education
  • Feeding Children Well
  • Connecting Children to Growing
  • Partnering with Families
  • Evaluation

Pennsylvania Healthy Farms, Healthy Schools

Pennsylvania passed the Healthy Farms, HealthySchools Bill (SB1209) in 2006. This exciting initiative is modeled after The Food Trust’s Kindergarten Initiative program. The purpose of the Bill is to educate kindergartners and their families about the importance of choosing healthy, fresh foods and increase awareness of Pennsylvania agriculture. Further, the law will help Pennsylvania farmers gain access to new markets within the Commonwealth.

Acknowledgments

Several local businesses have supported the Kindergarten Initiative and have been valuable partners in making this program a success. Including Joe Cesa of Joe's Coffee www.joecoffeebar.com and Bob Solly of Solly Brothers Farm in Richboro, PA.

The Kindergarten Initiative was started with a grant from the Claneil Foundation.