For the first time this fall, the camp will provide healthy, seasonal, organic apples to 2,274 school children, raise awareness about where food comes from, and establish new relationships with local farmers.
Through Apples to Kids, 2,274 school-aged kids at Westminster Woods, a camp in the beautiful redwoods in Sonoma County, Northern California, will gain access to several varieties of fresh, delicious, organic apples directly from a local West Sonoma County apple grower! The apples will be accompanied by colorful educational signage in the dining hall while kids receive environmental education and challenge course training at the camp during 1-5 day visits. Kids who will be impacted include a socioeconomically diverse range of local school children, as well as those traveling from as far away as the East Bay and the Sacramento area to experience the deep connection to nature that West Sonoma County has to offer.
A donation of just $32 will provide a box of local, organic apples for 140 kids and the opportunity to help an institution serving school children to begin connecting to local, sustainable food as part of the West Sonoma County farm-to-school children movement!
You participation is so meaningful to us. Please email [email protected] so we can thank you personally (ioby does not provide us with donor information)!
A local apple grower with small (kid-sized) certified organic apples has already been identified. We have a volunteer who can pick up the apples weekly from the grower and deliver them to the camp. An environmental education staff person at Westminster Woods with artistic skill and experience running an organic farm will develop colorful educational material for kids in the dining hall to accompany the apples.
Additional steps include:
The project addresses several challenges. First, it provides access to healthy, environmentally sustainable fruit in season with education about the fruit for school children attending a camp this fall in West Sonoma County. Apples are an excellent source of nutrients, such as soluble and insoluble fiber and vitamin C, but when conventionally grown, come with numerous toxins from chemical sprays that have been used on them. The Environmental Working Group (an organization of scientists, researchers and policymakers) places apples at the top of “The Dirty Dozen” list of produce, that when regularly consumed organically, can reduce the amount of pesticide exposure by 80 percent. Help us get healthy, organic apples to school kids!
Second, by receiving financial support during this initial pilot year of establishing relationships with local farmers, Westminster Woods will have the chance to start getting local, sustainable produce into its kitchen. The kitchen will be able to creatively adjust its budget to make the relationships financially sustainable in future years with diminishing need for outside support as the farm-to-school children program becomes established in the dining hall.
Finally, by supporting a local apple grower directly, Westminster Woods will be joining the hard work of local advocacy groups to raise awareness and help prevent the once-thriving local apple industry from disappearing. Other schools and camps in the area may be inspired to follow its example as the West County farm-to-school children movement grows!
