The Junior League of Charlotte’s Kids in the Kitchen program aims to integrate garden vegetables into local schools, implement a school wellness policy, improve access to fresh produce, conserve resources, improve community and school health, increase educational programming and advocate for changing policies that are barriers to nutritious school lunches—among many other goals.
Community partners
- Friendship Gardens
- Charlotte- Mecklenburg County School System
- Reid Park Academy
- Reid Park Community
- Parks and Recreation of Mecklenburg County
- YWCA
- Communities in Schools
How it works
In 2012, JLC facilitated the initiation of a water supply and composting, and planted a garden. They supplied teachers with the necessary gardening supplies and curriculum needed to involve the students. This year, through the program, JLC will create a kitchen cart to teach students to prepare healthy snacks and meals. JLC also plans to integrate garden produce into the classroom, develop a school wellness policy, create a newsletter to communicate with community members as well as those involved with the school and partner with the Field to Fork program to offer events.
What’s the impact?
The program is relatively new, but it has already successfully started conversations about healthy eating and using the garden produce in recipes. The community garden and the implementation of programming is expected to benefit 13,000 or more people in the greater Charlotte, North Carolina area.