Growing and Learning Together at The Food Project’s Winter Institute

Each year, The Food Project welcomes participants from all around the United States to participate in their Winter Institute. Attendees of the Institute learn how to create a successful model to empower youth and strengthen communities through growing and distributing healthy, sustainable food. The Institute also connects youth workers and sustainable growers from around the country to share their experiences and expertise with each other as they build or improve their own youth-led agricultural programs. As one past participant reflected, “The Food Project Institute was exactly what I needed to get my creative juices flowing around my fledgling ideas for a sustainable food project involving youth.” 

Over the course of two-and-a-half days, participants learn about how The Food Project:

• Recruits and supports youth from diverse backgrounds to work on urban and suburban farms
• Plans for our summer Seed Crew and manages our multi-level, tiered Dirt and Root Crews during the academic season
• Educates and connects youth and adults through learning about healthy eating, sustainable agriculture, and addressing disparities in the food system

Participants enjoy interactive sessions that are held at The Food Project’s various sites, and cover developing youth leaders, producing healthy food, and inspiring and supporting others to create change in their own communities.  If you are interested in learning more about The Food Project or attending this year’s Winter Institute (February 5^th through 7^th), please contact Beth at bjameson@thefoodproject.org or 781.259.8621 ext 23.

Beth Jameson is the Programs Operations Coordinator at The Food Project.