Collective Roots

Results: Host school gardens and garden based learning in two schools, and starting a farmers' market in East Palo Alto.

Target demographics: Low income children and youth in San Mateo and Santa Clara County

Direct beneficiaries per year: At least 2,000 children, youth, and adults

Geographic areas served: Mid Peninsula - South Bay

Programs: Food systems change - food access, security, and nutrition strategy: engage the east palo alto community in creating an improved food system that is focused on health and environmental outcomes. Stabilize, expand and sustain the epa community farmers' market. Provide affordable fresh produce to the local community. Increase opportunities for nutrition education on school sites by developing concepts and initial elements for the collective roots mobile nutrition exhibit. Modular exhibit will provide information and fun interactions. Garden-based education strategy: create environments and programs for learning that provide transformational experiences that also have measurable impacts on education, community and environmental health. Develop the garden into a center for urban agriculture as a community resource for sustainable agriculture and a model for replication in other school sites. Develop a year-round garden plan for education and maximum garden production for sale of produce at the epa farmer's market. Expand and disseminate garden-based learning curriculum for replication of programs in other school districts k-5 and garden club (after school) curricula posted on website. Further develop and integrate food systems change into middle school curriculum. Complete construction of greenhouse at epacs. Develop capacity of greenhouse to produce plants for use in programs and for sale. Grow edible plants (seedlings for transplant into collective roots gardens), native plants for use in environmental projects, and herbs, flowers, and heirloom tomatoes for sale at farmers' market. Continue garden smarts program with possible expansion into environmental action projects, bayland garden project (modeled after the don edwards wildlife refuge) and companion planting projects.