Press release from Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project:
Asheville, NC – ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) is pleased to announce that they have received a three-year, $107,154 grant from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust to initiate the Growing Minds in Burke County project.
The Growing Minds in Burke County project will improve the lives of Burke County residents through the implementation of multiple farm to school interventions: edible school gardens, cafeteria taste tests, farm field trips, and food sourced from local farms. Project activities will target and engage diverse audiences (teachers, students, cafeteria staff, families, farmers) to develop a culture of health that extends beyond the educational setting.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Burke County Public Schools and the Burke County community. ASAP has helped establish farm to school programs throughout Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachians, and we look forward to learning how farm to school implementation can best be tailored to the unique nature of Burke County,” said ASAP Program Director Emily Jackson.
ASAP’s Growing Minds Farm to School program has provided support and resources to schools and preschools since 2002. Through mini-grants, free seeds, an annual farm to school conference, lesson plans, website resources, and more, ASAP helps build the connection between local agriculture, economic development, and health.
About ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project):
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more about ASAP’s work in the region, visit asapconnections.org and growing-minds.org or call (828) 236-1282.
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