2010 Subaru Healthy Sprouts Awards
Children today spend more time in the vitural world than the natural world. How can we expect the next generation to care for the environment if they feel disconnected from it and lack understanding about the impact of their actions on our health and food supply, both locally and globally? One solution: Get them in the garden!
Garden programs engage children by providing a dynamic environment where they can observe, discover, experiment, nurture, and learn. Through gardening activities, children develop respect for their environment and establish an important connection with nature.
Edible gardens in particular provide opportunities for youth to learn how to nurture and care for other living things while also learning how to care for themselves. They experience first-hand, the process of growing food and the skills needed to increase their access to fruits and vegetables. Edible gardens also provide opportunities to teach kids how to care for others in their community. What better way to create awareness about hunger than to have them actively involved in growing a garden, or part of a garden, to donate to a local food pantry.
The Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award recognizes and supports youth gardening programs focused on teaching about our environment, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States. Through winning programs, youth will learn the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle compatible with environmental stewardship and gain an understanding of how their actions can positively impact the well being of their community.
Who is eligible to apply:
To be eligible for the 2010 Healthy Sprouts Awards, your school or organization must plan to garden in 2011 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. The selection of winners is based on the demonstrated relationship between the garden program and education related to environmental, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States.
Grant Packages
This year we will present awards to 30 schools or organizations. Each program will receive:
* a $500 gift certificate to the Gardening with Kids catalog and online store for basic youth gardening supplies and supporting educational materials
* NGA's Eat a Rainbow Kit, chock full of engaging taste education and nutrition lessons
* a literature package from NGA
healthy sprouts Submission process: Applications are due by October 1, 2010.
National Gardening Association
1100 Dorset Street
South Burlington, VT 05403
Phone: 800-538-7476 (800-LETSGRO)
Fax: 802-864-6889
Interested in learning more about our grants programs, contact Amanda: amandaw@garden.org
