This Week in Farm to School from NC

June 16, 2022

Find Free Summer Meals for Kids and Teens Near You!

The NC Department of Public Instruction works with schools and community organizations across the state to offer free, nutritious meals and educational enrichment to kids and teens when school is out. Find a site nearby:

• Use the NC Site Finder Map, https://bit.ly/3MhnX1S.
• Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304.
• Check your local school district website, social media, or other communications.

Learn more here.

Racial Equity in Farm to School Training Series (Virtual Workshops)

June 21 - October 25, 2022 //3 - 5 pm EDT

Please join the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) Farm to School Initiative for a virtual series on Racial Equity in Farm to School. This free, 5 session, 120 min workshop series will be led by a team from we are (www.weare-nc.org). This year’s series will be structured to allow for extended learning for past attendees while remaining accessible for new participants. Join us! Questions? Contact kblackb@ncsu.edu.

Register here.

Small Farms Field Day

June 23, 2022 // 8 am - 1 pm ET

Join North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for their Small Farms Field Day! Demonstrations on growing organic ginger in high tunnels and displays showing high tunnel fruit quality are among the topics for this year’s field day. Farmers, ranchers and researchers attend the event each year to learn new practices and understand trends in farming. Lunch is provided.

Register here.

Connecting Student Attendance and School Wellness Outcomes

June 28, 2022 // 3 pm 

Research shows that attendance is linked to whole child health – students’ physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being. By implementing an interdisciplinary approach, districts and schools can reduce chronic attendance and improve student academic achievement and health outcomes. During this webinar, Healthier Generation and Attendance Works will engage in a rich dialogue about school health promotion and chronic absenteeism and share tips and tools for participants to address the chronic attendance crisis. 

Register here.

School Garden Support Organization Leadership Institute 

December 4-9, 2022 

Every year, the School Garden Support Organization Leadership Institute provides an opportunity for school garden professionals from across the county to collaborate, learn from one another, and develop resources to share with a national audience. In this way, participants will be able to better support school gardens in their regions, and also advance the national school garden movement. Apply by August 1st.

Learn more and apply here.

In Warren County, this food hub is working to get more local food in NC schools

This is the third article in a three-part series on farm to school efforts in North Carolina by EdNC. The first article is about the Farm to School Coalition of North Carolina, and the second article is on a district-owned farm in Halifax County Schools.

Read more here.

The Power of Youth Led Food Justice - The Praxis Project

Bevelyn Afor Ukah believes that youth power holds the key to our survival and collective freedom. Only through our ability to be in multigenerational relationships with one another in our organizing efforts will we be able to achieve the just world we know we deserve. Bevelyn's work at the Food Youth Initiative (FYI) at the Center for Environmental Farming System, centers their work in the food justice space. Food Justice for FYI is more than just about food access. Their organizing efforts span across interconnected issue areas leading us towards liberation. Bevelyn speaks to us as a person ever learning from the wisdom and leadership that youth have to offer. Sharing the stories of her student organizers and all the ways they are working to transform our communities for the future. 

Listen here.

North Carolina State School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Meeting Resources

School health leaders gathered virtually for the 2022 North Carolina State School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Meeting, “SHACs as Support Systems: Sustaining WSCC Efforts and Filling Your Own Cup”, April 27-28. Slides that were made available by presenters, recordings of presentations, and additional resources are now available from the meeting. Check out these great resources. Please note that there were some technical difficulties and not all sessions were recorded. If you have questions or need more information, please reach out to the NC Healthy Schools Team.

View resources here.

Green Our Planet's Hydroponics STEM Program Grant Application

Extended! Deadline: June 24, 2022

This is an application for Green Our Planet’s Hydroponics STEM Program. The full cost of this program is $10,000. If awarded a grant, Green Our Planet will cover $8,000 of the program cost and your school will be responsible for covering the additional $2,000 needed to fully fund the program. This grant opportunity is open to public and charter schools located in the United States.

Apply here.

Green Our Planet's GardenConnect STEM Program Grant Application

Extended! Deadline: June 24, 2022

This is an application for Green Our Planet’s GardenConnect STEM Program. The full cost of this program is $3,500. If awarded a grant, Green Our Planet will cover $2,500 of the program cost and your school will be responsible for covering the additional $1,000 needed to fully fund the program. This grant opportunity is open to public and charter schools located in the United States.

Apply here.

Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program - Produce Prescription Program

Deadline: June 30, 2022

The National Institute for Food and Agriculture's (NIFA) Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program - Produce Prescription Program focuses on projects that improve dietary health through increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce individual and household food insecurity, and reduce healthcare use and associated costs. Submissions for grants have now opened. Applications may only be submitted by government agencies and non-profit organizations; however, award recipients may sub-award to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

Apply here.

Little Seeds Pollinator Pals Grant

Deadline: July 15, 2022

Little Seeds and KidsGardening are excited to announce the launch of the 2022 Little Seeds Pollinator Pals Grant. This grant will award a total of 20 programs $500 in funding to develop new or expand existing pollinator gardens. Any nonprofit organization, school district, university, government entity, or tax-exempt organization, like religious organizations and Tribal governments, in the United States and US Territories serving at least 15 youth is eligible to apply. Programs must be planning a new or expanding an existing youth garden designed to teach about the importance of pollinators. Previous winners of the Little Seeds Pollinator Pals Grant are not eligible. 

Learn more and apply here.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture Grant

Deadline: July 28, 2022

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Agricultural Systems supports approaches that promote transformational changes in the US food and agriculture system. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects that are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. 

Learn more here.

North Carolina Alliance for Health (NCAH) Bill Tracker

The North Carolina Alliance for Health is tracking several bills filed at the NC General Assembly. You can view the status of bills S855 Free Breakfast for K-12 students and S856 Free Lunch for K-12 students in this tracker. 

View bills here.

Health Education: Application for Standards Course of Study Standards Writing Team (SWT)

Today! Deadline: June 16, 2022

This application is for educators, educational leaders, and stakeholders who desire to become part of the Health Standards revision process. The SWT will meet periodically throughout the revision process to review and revise the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCOS) for Health. Applications will be available until June 16, 2022. Applicants will be notified of their selection on July 1, 2022.

The Health SWT will consist of a range of external stakeholders including university professors, content professionals, and experts from partner organizations. Please review the Scope of Work.

Apply here.

Physical Education: Application for Standard Course of Study Standards Writing Team (SWT)

Today! Deadline: June 16, 2022

This application is for educators, educational leaders, and stakeholders who desire to become part of the Physical Education Standards revision process. The SWT will meet periodically throughout the revision process to review and revise the NCSCOS for Physical Education. Applications will be available until June 16, 2022. Applicants will be notified of their selection on July 1, 2022.

The Physical Education SWT will consist of a range of external stakeholders including university professors, content professionals, and experts from partner organizations. Please review the Scope of Work.

Apply here.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Framework to Transform the Food System

The USDA recently announced the details of a framework to transform the food system to benefit consumers, producers and rural communities by providing more options, increasing access, and creating new, more, and better markets for small and mid-size producers. The new framework focuses on food production, processing, aggregation and distribution, and markets and consumers - with goals to build a more resilient food supply chain, create a fairer food system, make nutritious food more accessible and affordable, and emphasize equity. Funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act and other relief legislation.

Read more here.

A Growing Movement to Reclaim Water Rights for Indigenous People

Native tribes are reliant on their local water sources, which have been continuously exploited and contaminated by the government and non-Native people. Indigenous groups are finding new ways to demand justice. 

Read more here.

How Racism in Early Life Can Affect Long-Term Health

Excessive adversity activates biological reactions that can lead to lifelong problems in physical and mental well-being. This knowledge can help us better understand why people of color in the United States are at greater risk of developing chronic medical conditions and aging prematurely than white people. 

Learn more here.