The City of Gastonia’s Keep Gastonia Beautiful program is making the farm-to-table real for school age children as they experience hands-on what it’s like to see locally produced food and make a meal. The project received a $15,000 grant earlier this year from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation to connect farmers with populations facing food insecurity while educating them with farm-to-table experiences.
“We are expecting about 500 kids this summer to educate on this topic thanks to our amazing partnership with the Gastonia Farmers Market and RAM’s Kitchen,” said Keep Gastonia Beautiful Administrator Juliann Lehman.
How the Program Works
Thursday, June 15 | 9:30 a.m. | Gastonia Farmers Market
A group of school age children will participate in a lesson about food from different farmers and learn how to create a healthy snack for the group.
- Children come from summer camps located at Schiele Museum, Boys and Girls Club,
Jeffers Recreation Center, First Wesleyan Church, Warlick YMCA, the Dream Center, and the Erwin Center. - Transportation is provided by the summer programs.
- The program can also be brought right to the students at their location.
Project Details: Farm To Table – Cultivating Opportunity
The majority of the funds will be used to buy fresh produce directly from local farms available at the Gastonia Farmers Market then allow the RAMS (Really Amazing Meals with Soul) Kitchen to prepare food options to enhance public education through hands-on learning. RAMS Kitchen is located in the Highland Community, where residents are lacking access to healthy foods.
“It’s very exciting to see the kids learn and embrace what farm-to-table is all about,” said Lehman.
Learn more about these community partners:
Keep Gastonia Beautiful – link here.
Gastonia Farmers Market – link here.
RAMS Kitchen – link here.
For interviews, photos, and video please contact Mary Elliott at 704-315-9461.