Dear Michigan Farm to School subscribers,
February is Black History Month! This month, we encourage you to learn about and honor the Black leaders in farm to school, farm to ECE, and food systems work.
Below are resources and funding opportunities to help you plan and implement your farm to school programs in 2021, whether virtually or in-person. | | | | | | 10 Cents a Meal Grants Awarded to 138 Statewide Applicants | 138 Michigan schools, school districts, and early childhood centers serving over 406,000 children have been awarded grants from the 10 Cents a Meal program to improve daily nutrition and eating habits for children.
| | | | | | USDA Expands Food Benefits During Pandemic | Nutrition assistance was expanded as part of a call to action by the Biden administration. USDA is increasing the Pandemic-EBT benefit by approximately 15%, providing more money for families and millions of children who are no longer receiving meals due to school closures. In addition, the USDA is seeking to increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for all participants.
| | | | | | Michigan Schools Awarded Action for Healthy Kids Grants | Congratulations to Post-Franklin Elementary School (Battle Creek), Valley View Elementary School (Battle Creek), and Fremont Public School District! These are three of the 173 schools and districts recently awarded Action for Healthy Kids grants. Grants were awarded for implementing nutrition, physical activity, social emotional learning, and/or school meal delivery programs.
| | | | Foodprenueur Webinar Series | February 2, 9, 16, 23 6:00 p.m. ET
North Dakota State University is hosting a webinar series to highlight topics pertaining to food entrepreneurship. The February 9 session will focus on crop diversification, farmers' markets, and farm to school. Other sessions will explore disposal options for butcher waste, creating your own food product, and high-value crop research.
| | Building Community Interest & Investment in Your School Garden | February 3 2:00 p.m. ET
This virtual discussion will focus on strategies that increase community around school gardens, facilitated by Big Green Chicago. This webinar offers an opportunity to collectively reflect, question, and share experiences to support efforts to strengthen school gardens through the summer.
| | | | School Meals – Fact or Fiction? | February 16 12:00 p.m. EST
What do you really know about your school meal program? What are the new policies around school meals? Join this webinar for a deeper dive into new policies around school meals, including how to make a difference in your school’s program.
| | 2021 Every Kid Healthy Week Celebration | February 25 3:30 p.m. EST
Started in 2013 to celebrate health and wellness, Every Kid Healthy Week is observed the last full week of April each year. Learn how you can join others celebrating at home and school, virtually or in person.
| | | | | | Black History Month Food and Farming Resource Lists | These resource lists from HEAL Food Alliance offer opportunities for learning more about Black history and ongoing leadership in food, farming, and food justice spaces.
| | | | | Michigan Farm to Institution Network Report Features Highlights Since 2014 Launch | This new report outlines the activities of the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN) since its launch in 2014, including members, research projects, and Cultivate Michigan featured foods and tours. MFIN is a space for learning, sharing, and working together to help farm to institution programs grow in Michigan.
| | | | | Resource Guide: Supporting the Social and Emotional Wellness of Children | A new resource guide developed by the Office of Child Care addresses the social and emotional health of young children. In the wake of the pandemic and highlighting promising strategies to integrate social and emotional support in child care, the guide also provides ways to leverage partnerships and funding for successful implementation.
| | | | | Tribal Food Sovereignty and Food Production: A Resource Directory for Indian Country | This directory, developed by the National Congress of American Indians, provides a comprehensive collation of relevant funding resources and other sources of support available to individual Native food producers and tribal nations and organizations as they work to establish, grow, and sustain their food production, sovereignty, and security efforts. It contains more than 125 entries.
| | | | | Video Series: COVID Care Questions Answered | Penn State Better Kid Care created a series of interviews with frontline childcare providers in a conversation with Dr. Timothy Shope, MD, MPH. In this video series, Dr. Shope discusses care during COVID, including mitigation strategies in ECE, family style dining considerations, and the COVID-19 vaccine.
| | | | | An Annotated Bibliography on Structural Racism Present in the U.S. Food System, 8th Edition | This annotated bibliography offers a foundation for learning and communicating about structural racism in the U.S. food system. It includes 350 publications and 35 videos that explore structural racism across the national food system, in specific food system sectors, and within local and regional geographies.
| | | 10 Cents a Meal Grant Application Re-Opens | Deadline: Rolling until funds are expended
The 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids & Farms grant application is open for a second round of grants for the current 2021 funding year (which runs through September 30, 2021). Grants will be awarded by the Michigan Department of Education until the funds are expended.
| | | | 2021 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant | Deadline: February 5
The 2021 Gro More Good Grassroots Grant will provide funding for the development of new and expansion of existing youth garden programs and greenspaces serving 15 or more youth. The grant is open to all nonprofit and tax exempt organizations (including schools) in the United States and US Territories.
| | | | Early Childhood Equity Fellowship from the BUILD Initiative | Deadline: February 19
The BUILD Initiative is accepting applications for its Equity Leaders Action Network Fellowship. The Fellowship is intended to support state, county, tribal, and territorial leaders to work within early childhood systems as they advance policies, practice, programs, and initiatives to intentionally redress racial marginalization and create racial equity.
| | | | Academic Enrichment Grants for PreK-12 Classrooms | Deadline: April 15
Academic Enrichment Grants are being offered by the McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation to develop programs that improve student learning. Grants can provide funding for in-class or extra-curricular programs, awarded to individuals for up to $10,000 per year for a maximum of $30,000 over three years.
| | | | Garden Development Coordinator at Keep Growing Detroit | Keep Growing Detroit (KGD) is seeking a Garden Development Coordinator to provide technical assistance and support for families, community groups, and organizations that are interested in growing vegetable gardens in the city. The Garden Development Coordinator is responsible for the logistics and distribution of garden resources and will support engagement to reach and serve Detroit’s families with young children.
| | | | About Michigan Farm to School
Farm to School centers around efforts to serve local foods in school and early care and education settings. We share ideas, tools and resources to support a range of efforts, from school garden programming to farmer visits and field trips.
| | | | You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the MIFARMTOSCHOOL listserv. Please note that if you unsubscribe from this mailing, you will be removed from the listserv. | | | | | |
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.