Community Grant: Green Plate Special
This article was originally published in September 2016
We’re excited to announce that our third Community Grant of 2016 has been awarded to Green Plate Special in Seattle.
This nonprofit organization’s mission is to help end childhood obesity and other food-related diseases by inspiring and empowering youth to grow, cook and eat healthy foods. Their curriculum-based education programs engage 4th through 8th graders via classes and workshops during the school year. Green Plate currently works with Leschi Elementary, Madrona Elementary and Washington Middle School, as well as private schools, the YMCA and Mary’s Place.
Summer camps have a pay what you can model to ensure that children of all financial abilities have an opportunity to participate. At the end of each camp day, children bring food home to their families to share and try. Any surplus food goes to the Rainier Valley Food Bank. Green Plate recently created an Educator position. This person’s focus is to expose more students to gardening education and to help classroom teachers use school gardens as teaching environments. Our grant will help offset the cost of this position.