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Food Justice for Kids Prize Recipient
73 results
Black Girls Cook
Nutrition Education & School Food
Florida & Maryland
California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center
Indigenous Food Justice
California
California Indian Museum & Cultural Center
Indigenous Food Justice
California
Camp Boggy Creek
SeriousFun
Florida
Camp Korey
SeriousFun
Washington
Center for Ecoliteracy
Nutrition Education & School Food
California
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Indigenous Food Justice
Alaska
Chef Ann Foundation
Nutrition Education & School Food
Colorado
Cheyenne River Youth Project
Indigenous Food Justice
South Dakota
Chickahominy Indian Tribe
Indigenous Food Justice
Virginia
Community Food Advocates
Nutrition Education & School Food
New York
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Indigenous Food Justice
Washington
Dakota Rural Action
Indigenous Food Justice
South Dakota
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy
Nutrition Education & School Food
Michigan
Double H Ranch
SeriousFun
New York
Dream of Wild Health
Indigenous Food Justice
Minnesota
Image courtesy of Molly of Denali.
GBH’s Molly of Denali
The PBS KIDS animated series Molly of Denali follows 10-year-old Molly Mabray, an Alaska Native girl who lives in the fictional village of Qyah, Alaska. Through streamed and broadcast episodes, a podcast, games, and educational resources, Molly’s adventures help build literacy skills while introducing traditional foods, food practices, and other aspects of Alaska Native and Indigenous cultures to kids ages 4-8 nationwide. Molly of Denali is the first nationally distributed children’s series to feature Indigenous lead characters.
Image courtesy of Molly of Denali.
Double H Ranch
Founded in 1993 by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman, the Double H Ranch provides year-round, medically supported programs free of charge for children living with serious and chronic illnesses. Located in New York’s Adirondack Park, Double H Ranch serves over 2,000 children annually through summer camp, adaptive winter sports, family weekends, and hospital outreach.
Victory Junction
Victory Junction enriches the lives of children living with complex medical and physical needs by providing life-changing, fun, and empowering camp experiences at no cost. Campers build confidence and skills through activities like ziplining, horseback riding, fishing, and stage performances, all in a medically safe, accessible environment. Located in Randleman, NC, and founded by Kyle Petty and family in honor of his son Adam, Victory Junction’s racing-themed campus offers weekend and weeklong sessions, while its OUTREACH program brings Camp to hospitals and clinics in NC, SC, and VA.
The Painted Turtle
Located just north of Los Angeles, The Painted Turtle has provided hundreds of thousands of camp experiences to children with serious medical conditions and their families through year-round programming since 2004. Campers ages 6–17 can enjoy a variety of adaptive activities in a fun and safe environment through programs ranging from single-day events to week-long sessions. The Painted Turtle supports children’s medical needs and offers care, education, and respite for their families—all entirely free of charge.
Camp Korey
Each year, Camp Korey brings joy, community, and new adventures to nearly 2,000 campers in the Pacific Northwest living with life-altering medical conditions and their parents, siblings, and caregivers. As a proud member of the SeriousFun Children’s Network, Camp Korey is more than a camp, it’s a place where challenges transform into triumphs, and where the spirit of community and adventure thrives. Their programs not only bring smiles to the faces of our campers but also create a supportive network for families who are navigating life’s journey with resilience and hope.
Roundup River Ranch
Since 2006, Roundup River Ranch has provided transformative experiences for children with life-altering diagnoses and their families – offering them the chance to embrace joy, create connection, foster independence, and build hope through free, medically-supported camp programs. Nestled in a canyon along the Colorado River, the 125-acre campsite in the heart of the Rocky Mountains welcomes campers ages 5-17 and their families to find respite at Summer Camp and Family Camp sessions. Outreach and Alumni Programs extend the camp spirit year-round through engaging online and in-person experiences.
North Star Reach
Since 2016, North Star Reach has provided life-changing camp experiences for children with serious health challenges in a safe, medically supported environment. Located near Ann Arbor, Michigan, our beautiful 105-acre camp welcomes children ages 7–17 and their families from across the Great Lakes region. Through weekend and week-long programs filled with connection, community, and a whole lot of Mooseness, campers discover joy, friendships, and memories that last a lifetime.
Photo courtesy of White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.
White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona
The mission of Ndée Bikíyaa (The People’s Farm) is to restore personal and cultural health to the White Mountain Apache Tribe through agriculture. Established in 2010, Ndée Bikíyaa operates as a production farm, growing and distributing fresh organic Apache grown foods to the community, as well as providing education and outreach to tribal members living on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona.
Photo courtesy of White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reservation, Arizona.
Photo courtesy of Wai’anae Community Re-Development Corporation (MA’O Organic Farms).
Wai’anae Community Re-Development Corporation (MA’O Organic Farms)
Wai’anae Community Re-Development Corporation is building a future of mā’ona, of plenty, by connecting youth and land through the daily practice of aloha ‘āina, empowering youth to succeed in college and secure sustaining careers, and growing organic produce that yields individual and communal vitality.
Photo courtesy of Wai’anae Community Re-Development Corporation (MA’O Organic Farms).
Wabanaki Health and Wellness
Wabanaki Public Health & Wellness serves the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point, and the Penobscot Nation. Its mission is to provide community-driven, culturally centered public health and social services to all Wabanaki communities and people while honoring Wabanaki cultural knowledge, cultivating innovation, and fostering collaboration. Youth engagement is provided through culturally centered after-school activities and special events, including The Learning Kitchen, which offers youth a chance to try traditional foods, learn how to prepare them, and share what they learn with their families.
University of Minnesota Foundation
Hosted by the University of Minnesota, the Conference on Native American Nutrition brings together tribal and community leaders, nutrition and wellness educators, researchers and students, health practitioners, government officials, funders, and others to discuss the current state of both Indigenous and academic scientific knowledge about Native food systems, food sovereignty, nutrition, and health. Sessions include Indigenous perspectives on the role of food in health and wellbeing, model tribal programs, the state of Indigenous science, and food policy.
Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Foundation.
University of Arkansas Foundation
The Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative’s Native Youth in Food and Agriculture Leadership Summit invests in the next generation of Native food and agricultural leaders, equipping participants with professional skills and knowledge while building lifelong connections to peers from across Indian Country. Along with sessions and activities on the University of Arkansas’ campus, participants tour nearby Tribal food and agriculture operations to learn more about food sovereignty and conservation efforts. The week-long summit also includes preparing a meal crafted with Native-produced and local ingredients alongside seasoned Native American chefs, attending food preservation classes led by IFAI’s food safety team, and more!
Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas Foundation.
Texas Tribal Buffalo Project
Texas Tribal Buffalo Project is dedicated to the relationship between Lipan Apache and other Indigenous communities and tribes in Texas with buffalo. This resurgence of Native life promotes health and vitality for the land and for the people who utilize bison meat and other valuable products. Cultural Youth Camp participants learn farming and agriculture methods, as well as care of the buffalo and the community garden.
Sustainable Molokai
Sust’āinable Molokai is a community development organization committed to restoring ‘āina momona (thriving people and abundant land) to Molokai by uniting traditional practices with responsible, modern sustainability solutions. Its current programs focus on strengthening food sovereignty, energy resilience, and environmental and resource conservation on Molokai.
Photo courtesy of STAR School.
STAR School (aka Painted Desert Demonstration Projects)
The STAR School is a rural and remote charter school located outside of Flagstaff, AZ, that serves a student population that is 99% Native American. The school’s gardening program allows its students to grow fresh and healthy food so they can learn about nutrition and food sovereignty.
Photo courtesy of STAR School.
Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
Snoqualmie Indian Tribe is a sovereign tribal nation provides health and wellness services and education benefits to its people.
Photo courtesy of Siċaŋġu Co.
Siċaŋġu Co
As Lakota, Siċaŋġu Co believes its people are all related and have a duty to create a better world for future generations. The Siċaŋġu Health Initiative exists to help Siċaŋġu families on their return to their natural healthiness and wellbeing (Wicozani). Siċaŋġu Co builds socio-emotional well-being in young people through in-school programming and camps, supports family health through coaching and food and wellness classes, and engages communities through health- and relationship-building events.
Photo courtesy of Siċaŋġu Co.
Photo courtesy of Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
The mission of Mino Bimaadiziiwin (the Good Life) Tribal Farm (a program of Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) is to support the needs of the Red Cliff community and advance the food sovereignty goals of the Tribe. It accomplishes this through production and distribution of food, community engagement and food sovereignty initiatives, and youth work. Its youth initiatives include an annual iskigamizigan (sugarbush), seasonal field trips, youth workshops and cultural events, and distribution of produce directly to the local school cafeteria.
Photo courtesy of Mino Bimaadiziiwin Tribal Farm, Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
Photo courtesy of Partnership with Native Americans.
Partnership with Native Americans
Partnership with Native Americans is a nonprofit organization that works with tribal communities to improve the quality of life for Native Americans living on reservations.
Photo courtesy of Partnership with Native Americans.
Photo courtesy of Oceanic Ascent Education & Athletics (Guåhan Sustainable Culture).
Oceanic Ascent Education & Athletics (Guåhan Sustainable Culture)
Guåhan Sustainable Culture’s Youth Education Program focuses on educating elementary and middle school students on the importance of growing their own food by teaching them how to create a garden and cook healthy foods using what they grow. The program includes field trips to the organization’s community gardens, cooking classes using locally grown produce, and engagement with farmers.
Photo courtesy of Oceanic Ascent Education & Athletics (Guåhan Sustainable Culture).
Photo courtesy of NATIFS.
North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems
North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS) is the nonprofit founded by Lakota Chef Sean Sherman of The Sioux Chef. NĀTIFS and the Indigenous Food Lab are working to address the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways; its mission is to promote Indigenous foodways education and facilitate Indigenous food access.
Photo courtesy of NATIFS.
Photo courtesy of Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative.
Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (aka National Wildlife Federation)
The National Wildlife Federation supports the Youth Buffalo Cultural Institute run by the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, an Indigenous-led organization, which aims to rectify the loss of Buffalo from Tribal communities by providing education and engagement activities for Tribal members to learn about and begin to practice their ecological, cultural, and historical connections to buffalo. The Youth Buffalo Cultural Institute focuses on expanding the youth buffalo curriculum and increasing food security for Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone youth by reincorporating Buffalo into their lives, diets, and ceremonies.
2024 impact:
- Nearly 1,000 youth engaged across 80 educational visits.
- 17,000 acre piece of land acquired
- 6 buffalo harvested in 2024, with plans to double the harvest in 2025
“We are on a mission to restore conservation Buffalo through land rematriation, community revitalization, and youth education. The return of Buffalo has the power to heal land and people together; Buffalo restoration is a powerful step in exerting Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.” Jason Baldes, Executive Director of the Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
Photo courtesy of Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative.
Nalwoodi Denzhone Community.
Nalwoodi Denzhone Community
Working in Arizona, Nalwoodi Denzhone Community (NDC) provides revitalization services to the San Carlos Apache community through food production, youth education, and collaborative outreach. It is committed to bringing holistic health to people and planet through creative, yet practical, solutions relevant to this day and age.
Nalwoodi Denzhone Community.
Photo courtesy of Metlkatla Indian Community.
Metlakatla Indian Community
The Metlakatla Indian Community’s mission is to educate Indigenous families and youth about local and sustainable food systems and use traditions and ancestral knowledge to work towards creating food security for the community. Located in Southeast Alaska, the Community’s programming includes hands-on training in chicken farming, leading to a local source for eggs and greater knowledge of stewardship for land and animals.
Photo courtesy of Metlkatla Indian Community.
Photo courtesy of Makoce.
Makoce Agriculture Development
Makoce Agriculture Development’s mission is to develop Indigenous Agriculture & Food Systems designed to regenerate equitable healthy communities, economies, and environment. Its focus is to utilize the land, people, and traditional thoughts and systems to bring the community up and become the thriving Oglala Lakota Oyate. It accomplishes this through 5 Initiatives: The Food Systems Institute, The Food Hub, Regenerative Production Farm, Hemp Production, and the Oceti Sakowin Food Systems Alliance.
Photo courtesy of Makoce.
Photo courtesy of Keres Children's Learning Center.
Keres Children’s Learning Center
Keres Children’s Learning Center strives to reclaim Keres children’s education and honor their heritage by using a comprehensive cultural and academic curriculum to assist families in nurturing healthy students.
Photo courtesy of Keres Children's Learning Center.
Photo courtesy of Kake Tribal Heritage Foundation.
Kake Tribal Heritage Foundation
Located in Southeast Alaska, Kake Tribal Corporation’s mission is to serve shareholders and their descendants by preserving culture, protecting shared lands, and enhancing the community’s financial security. Its internship program offers high school students the opportunity to increase their knowledge of food security, their ability to grow and use hydroponics food, and their skills in harvesting and processing traditional wild foods (e.g. salmon, berries, beach greens, deer, and shellfish) for eating and sharing with family and Tribal Elders.
Photo courtesy of Kake Tribal Heritage Foundation.
Photo courtesy of Iwikua.
Iwikua
Iwikua serves as an educational resource to benefit the wellness of west Kaua’i and future generations through sustainable food production, physical fitness, and cultural exchange.
Photo courtesy of Iwikua.
Photo courtesy of Intertribal Agriculture Council.
Intertribal Agriculture Council
Intertribal Agriculture Council is a Billings-based organization that conducts a wide range of programs designed to improve Indian Agriculture and provide a unified effort to promote change for the benefit of Indian people.
Photo courtesy of Intertribal Agriculture Council.
Photo courtesy of First Nations Development Institute.
First Nations Development Institute
The mission of First Nations Development Institute (FNDI) is to strengthen American Indian economies, in turn, supporting healthy Native communities. Through its Nourishing Native Food and Health program, FNDI supports tribes and Native communities in building Indigenous food systems that improve community health, increase control over Native agriculture and food, and reaffirm culture through Indigenous land stewardship practices and understandings. This focus includes reaching the next generation of Native food producers by investing in Native-led organizations that are working toward stronger food economies, food systems, and food security through youth education.
Photo courtesy of First Nations Development Institute.
Photo courtesy of FEED Seven Generations.
FEED Seven Generations
FEED revitalizes the health and wellness of Tribal communities by amplifying the voices of Native people, reconnecting the ancestral community health practices and elevating land management strategies. Working with Muckleshoot Tribal Schools, FEED has developed culturally relevant after-school programs and mentorships.
Photo courtesy of FEED Seven Generations.
Photo courtesy of Dream of Wild Health.
Dream of Wild Health
The mission of Dream of Wild Health is to restore health and well-being in the Native community by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines, and lifeways. To achieve this vision, staff work to build community, share Indigenous traditional knowledge, teach about and advocate for food sovereignty, host workshops and community events, and support community partner organizations, schools, and Tribal communities.
Photo courtesy of Dream of Wild Health.
Photo courtesy of Dakota Rural Action.
Dakota Rural Action
Since 2010 Dakota Rural Action (DRA) has been organizing communities across South Dakota to invest and participate in Farm to School initiatives. In response to the disruptions in the industrial food chains during the pandemic and a growing awareness that local culturally appropriate foods are a viable solution for rural and Native communities, South Dakota is finally coordinating efforts amongst stakeholders. DRA works to build an active and engaged membership promoting healthy, beautiful, and just food, agriculture, and energy systems that protect clean air, water, and soil for all the current and future inhabitants of South Dakota.
Photo courtesy of Dakota Rural Action.
Photo courtesy of Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
The Cowlitz Tribe’s Community Wellness Garden aims to promote food sovereignty and increase access to healthy and traditional foods through direct distribution, education, environmental and systems improvements, and partnerships. The Tribe currently provides fresh produce to over 200 Native households, in addition to regularly offered programs and classes. It is also developing an internship program for local Indigenous youth.
Photo courtesy of Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Photo courtesy of Chickahominy Indian Tribe.
Chickahominy Indian Tribe
The Chickahominy Indian Tribe’s mission is to serve its citizens by creating a respectful path to lasting well-being and connection that honors the past, sustains the present, and inspires the future, to preserve and protect the resources that Creator has entrusted to them, and to strengthen government-to-government relationships by exercising Tribal sovereignty in a responsible, deliberate, and sustainable manner. As part of its programming, Tribal Youth will learn to assemble, create, and maintain raised garden beds on Tribal property. This activity will instill knowledge about traditional foods and cultivation techniques.
Photo courtesy of Chickahominy Indian Tribe.
Photo courtesy of Cheyenne River Youth Project.
Cheyenne River Youth Project
The Cheyenne River Youth Project is dedicated to providing the young people on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation with the resources and opportunities they need to build a future in which they will do more than survive—they will thrive. A critical part of its programming is Native Food Sovereignty, which includes the 2.5-acre Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden, Native Food Sovereignty Teen Internships, and Garden Club for 4- to 12-year-olds.
Photo courtesy of Cheyenne River Youth Project.
Photo courtesy of Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska
Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska is a tribal government working to preserve sovereignty, enhance economic and cultural resources, and promote self-sufficiency and self-governance for over 37,000 Tlingit and Haida Indians.
Photo courtesy of Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska.
California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center
The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) fosters collaborative research and community service relationships between the faculty, staff, and students of CSU San Marcos and members of Tribal communities, to develop and conduct research projects that support the maintenance of sovereignty and culture within those communities. CICSC’s Food Sovereignty Toolkit will provide resources to enhance nutrition security for Southern California Indigenous youth by identifying gaps in California Natives’ ability to access traditional foods and create strategies to address these issues.
Photo courtesy of California Indian Museum & Cultural Center.
California Indian Museum & Cultural Center
The goals of the California Indian Museum and Cultural Center (CIMCC) are to educate the public about California Indian history and cultures, to showcase California Indian cultures, to enhance and facilitate these cultures and traditions through educational and cultural activities, to preserve and protect California Indian cultural and intellectual properties, and to develop relationships with other Indigenous groups. CIMCC’s California Indian Traditional Food Incubator supports its Tribal Youth Ambassadors and other traditional food producers.
Photo courtesy of California Indian Museum & Cultural Center.
Wellness in the Schools
Wellness in the Schools (WITS) is a national nonprofit that teaches public school students healthy habits to learn, live, and thrive. WITS partners with public schools, chefs, and coaches to expand access to nourishing food and active play.
Photo courtesy of Urban School Food Alliance.
Urban School Food Alliance
Urban School Food Alliance addresses the unique needs of the nation’s largest school districts and shares best practices, develops procurement standards, and advocates for the wellness of students.
Photo courtesy of Urban School Food Alliance.
Photo courtesy of Southwest Organizing Project.
Southwest Organizing Project
SWOP is a membership-based organization with a mission to work with communities in the Southwest to realize racial and gender equality and social and economic change. SWOP has a core of over 2,000 members and a supporting base of over 30,000 people in New Mexico. It regularly brings dozens of members to community meetings and hundreds of community members to large-scale events, and it engages with thousands of active users online through its many platforms and campaign areas. SWOP works in campaign areas related to youth empowerment, juvenile justice, civic engagement, gender justice and reproductive rights, food justice, and environmental justice.
Photo courtesy of Southwest Organizing Project.
Photo courtesy of Soul Fire Farm.
Soul Fire Farm
Soul Fire Farm is an Afro-Indigenous centered community farm and training center committed to uprooting racism and seeding sovereignty in the food system. Based in Petersburg, NY, the organization brings diverse communities together on this healing land to share skills on sustainable agriculture, natural building, spiritual activism, health, and environmental justice. Through one-day workshops, youth can learn about food systems, food justice, and how to be agents of change in society.
Photo courtesy of Soul Fire Farm.
Photo courtesy of National Farm to School Network.
National Farm to School Network
The mission of the National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is to increase access to local food, gardens, and nutrition and agriculture education to improve children’s health, strengthen family farms, and cultivate vibrant communities. NFSN envisions a nation in which farm to school and farm to early care and education are essential components of strong and just local and regional food systems. NFSN works to develop a strong network of partners across sectors, build awareness about farm to school, and increase activities at the state and regional levels through training, capacity building, and policy advocacy.
Photo courtesy of National Farm to School Network.
Photo courtesy of Mississippi Farm to School Network.
Mississippi Farm to School Network
The Mississippi Farm to School Network builds strong connections within Mississippi communities by promoting healthy, locally grown foods and supporting local producers. By implementing changes in food purchasing and education practices at schools and early childcare institutions, students can access nutrient-dense locally grown foods and educational opportunities, such as school gardens, cooking demos, and farm field trips.
Photo courtesy of Mississippi Farm to School Network.
Photo courtesy of The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger.
The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger
The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger is a public non-profit dedicated to changing our food system to improve and increase nutrition security for Montana’s children and their families.
Photo courtesy of The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger.
Massachusetts Farm to School
Massachusetts Farm to School works to strengthen local farms and fisheries and promote healthy communities by increasing local food purchasing and education at schools.
Photo courtesy of Healthy Harvest of North Iowa.
Healthy Harvest of North Iowa
Healthy Harvest of North Iowa connects and educates in support of the local food system. The nonprofit partners with regional school districts, early care centers, local food hubs, extension offices, and more to increase the procurement of local foods into cafeterias for the youth of North Iowa, school garden and greenhouse activities, and related nutrition education in the classroom.
Photo courtesy of Healthy Harvest of North Iowa.
Photo courtesy of Harlem Grown.
Harlem Grown
Healthy habits start young, which is why Harlem Grown’s programs target elementary-aged students. Urban farms become living classrooms and facilitate hands-on lessons. Children from urban settings are introduced to sustainable growing practices, as well as farm-based education programming. The result is a sense of membership in an environmentally conscious, sustainable community. Harlem Grown’s programming empowers children to be community leaders with the skills and agency to maintain their well-being and succeed in their careers.
Photo courtesy of Harlem Grown.
Photo courtesy of Groundwork Center.
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities
Founded in 1995, Groundwork develops sustainable local-based solutions in local food, clean energy, and livable towns. Groundwork supports the outreach, advocacy, and policy engagement on the 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids & Farms, a state program implemented by the Michigan Department of Education, that provides schools and early childhood education centers with up to 10 cents per meal in match funding to purchase and serve Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables, and dry beans.
Photo courtesy of Groundwork Center.
Photo courtesy of Green Village Initiative.
Green Village Initiative
Green Village Initiative (GVI) is an urban agriculture and food justice organization in Bridgeport, CT. Its mission is to grow food, knowledge, leadership, and community through urban gardening and farming, to create a more just food system in Bridgeport. The GVI Youth Leadership Program cultivates leaders in agricultural, food justice, career readiness, and leadership knowledge skills through the Summer Farm Crew and Food Leader Advisory Group (FLAG) programs. Youth not only develop an understanding of our food system, but they also forge meaningful connections with their neighbors, land, and city as they grow.
Photo courtesy of Green Village Initiative.
Photo courtesy of Green Bronx Machine.
Green Bronx Machine
Green Bronx Machine (GBM) builds healthy, equitable, and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and 21st century workforce development. Dedicated to cultivating minds and harvesting hope, GBM’s school-based model, using urban agriculture aligned to key school performance indicators, grows healthy students and high-performing schools to transform communities that are fragmented and marginalized into neighborhoods that are inclusive and thriving. GBM grows vegetables, the vegetables grow students, and the students grow happy, healthy, and thriving classrooms, schools, and communities en-route to better health outcomes.
Photo courtesy of Green Bronx Machine.
Photo courtesy of Greater Newark Conservancy.
Greater Newark Conservancy
Greater Newark Conservancy fosters collaboration in its community at the intersection of environmental, food, and racial justice to promote the health and wellbeing of Newark, NJ, residents. The Conservancy engages with thousands of schoolchildren and adults each year, by promoting good nutrition, healthy eating, and how to grow one’s own fresh food, and by forming a coalition of local stakeholders to advocate for healthy meals being served in school cafeterias.
Photo courtesy of Greater Newark Conservancy.
Photo courtesy of Georgia Organics.
Georgia Organics
The Georgia Organics Farm to School Innovation Mini Grant provides local school districts with the opportunity to expand their farm to school programming based on their needs and goals. The purpose of this program is to strengthen the community of Georgia farm to school champions, to gather data and best practices, to advance health equity and to overall encourage innovative nutrition and gardening education efforts.
Photo courtesy of Georgia Organics.
Photo courtesy of FRESHFARM.
FRESHFARM
FRESHFARM works to create a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food future.
Photo courtesy of FRESHFARM.
Photo courtesy of End Hunger Connecticut!
End Hunger Connecticut!
End Hunger Connecticut! is a statewide anti-hunger nonprofit in Connecticut dedicated to eliminating hunger and promoting healthy nutrition through outreach, public education, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As part of its work, the nonprofit seeks permanent legislative funding for free, nutritious school meals for all K-12 students in Connecticut.
Photo courtesy of End Hunger Connecticut!
Photo courtesy of Detroit Food Academy.
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy
Detroit Food & Entrepreneurship Academy (Michigan) is a non-profit that works to inspire young Detroiters (ages 10-24) through culinary arts and food entrepreneurship.
Photo courtesy of Detroit Food Academy.
Photo courtesy of Community Food Advocates.
Community Food Advocates
The mission of Community Food Advocates (CFA) is to ensure all New Yorkers have access to healthy, affordable, culturally appropriate foods through equity-centered, high impact public policy. CFA builds creative, strategic coalitions—engaging those directly impacted—to leverage the strength of collective power, experiences, and knowledge to achieve policy change. Through its Youth Food Advocates program, CFA is growing the next generation of food justice leaders by doing a deep dive into the policies that shape our food system, and providing experiential learning opportunities where young people develop the skills to fully engage in the policy making process and create systemic change in the nation’s largest school system.
Photo courtesy of Community Food Advocates.
Photo courtesy of Center for Ecoliteracy.
Center for Ecoliteracy
Center for Ecoliteracy advances change in TK–12 schools with California Food for California Kids® — a network of school districts committed to serving more fresh and local school meals and educating students about the food system.
Photo courtesy of Center for Ecoliteracy.
Photo courtesy of Black Girls Cook.
Black Girls Cook
Black Girls Cook (Florida and Maryland) is a Miami and Baltimore-based nonprofit helping young girls embrace the farm-to-table concept while also learning about Black Diaspora history.
Photo courtesy of Black Girls Cook.
SeriousFun Children’s Network
SeriousFun supports and amplifies the impact of individual camps and programs to affect positive change in the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families.
Results:
- 30 camps and programs across 4 continents
- 2 million plus camp experiences since 1988
- 85% of alumni credited camp as a major source of their self-confidence
Camp Boggy Creek
Located on 232 acres just a short drive from Orlando, Camp Boggy Creek creates a nurturing environment where children can enjoy activities tailored to their needs. In 2024, Camp Boggy Creek introduced its mental health support team to address emerging needs of comprehensive mind-body support for campers.
The impact:
- 832 campers and 127 volunteers participated in Camp Boggy Creek summer programs
- Launched a new sensory room with specialized equipment including sensory toys, weighted blankets, and a multisensory play-floor
- 7 in 10 of campers considered themselves to be “a happy person”, a holistic well-being indicator, despite their medical journey
“Camp Boggy Creek creates a safe environment where campers can find joy, build resilience, and connect with others facing similar challenges. Prioritizing our campers’ behavioral and mental health empowers them to embrace their unique strengths as we work to erase the stigma surrounding mental illness.” —Dr. James Rujimora, Ph.D., LMHC
Flying Horse Farms
Flying Horse Farms provides healing, transformative camp experiences: every kid is invited to bring their wacky selves, as they make connections with friends who understand their journey and find camp magic exists in all of us.
2024 impact:
- 1,000 camp experiences provided to kids.
- 1,630 volunteers made the magic of camp possible.
- 190+ first-time experiences documented in the “Book of Firsts,” where campers celebrate milestones such as ziplining for the first time.
“While the numbers underscore impact, the campers tell the story. Camp is where a kid might swim for the first time. Where a camper is brave enough to sing with friends. It’s the boy who didn’t feel extraordinary because of his diagnosis but because of the friend he became. Behind every camper, it’s each family knowing camp shows up accessible for every kid.” —Nichole E. Dunn, President & CEO, Flying Horse Farms.
Over The Wall Camp
Over The Wall Camp’s innovative “Camp in the Cloud” program brings the magic of camp directly to children unable to attend in person. In 2024, they celebrated 25 years of creating life-changing experiences for children with health challenges and secured a new permanent facility in Derby.
2024 impact:
- > 1,500 children experienced an Over The Wall camp or virtual program
- 88% of campers reported feeling more positive about their future after attending
- 2,597 marshmallows were eaten, and 38 dance parties were hosted!
“I’m much more confident now and have higher self-belief. At camp, I wasn’t defined by my illness—I was just me.” —Camper
Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is the first camp Paul Newman founded back in 1988 and provides “a different kind of healing” to children with serious illnesses and their families.
2024 impact:
- Over 600 youth participated in weeklong Hole in the Wall Gang summer camps in 2024
- 94% of campers aged 10-15 reported increasing their friendship skills at camp in 2024
“This is the only place in the world my kid feels like she belongs.” —Camper Parent
Zuni Youth Enrichment Project
The mission of Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (ZYEP) is to promote resilience among Zuni youth, so they will grow into strong and healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP pursues its mission by providing Zuni youth with positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that build on the strengths of the community.
2024 impact:
- 1,800 Indigenous youth reached through school and community programming..
- Youth awareness of traditional healthy foods increased from 35% to 57%
“My favorite thing about the afterschool program was when we got to cook stuff…my favorite was Zoodles!” Third-grader Lilly B.
Photo courtesy of Ma Ka Hana Ka 'Ike.
Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike
Ma Ka Hana Ka Ike’s mission is to provide Hāna’s youth with a way to learn that makes sense to them, builds their self-esteem, and shows them they have the power to shape their future. Its methodology consists of a service-oriented education continuum, which provides meaningful work-based learning opportunities that strengthen environmental stewardship, intergenerational relationships, and technical skills, while creating a pathway for youth to learn, grow, teach, and inspire the next generation.
2024 impact:
- 96% of participating youth reported stronger connections to Hawaiian values
- 100% of the youth reported an increase in their cultural farming and culinary skills
- $2M awarded from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving in 2024
“I learned about working hard and working with my hands. If you take care of the land, the land takes care of you!” —Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike Elementary participant
Photo courtesy of Ma Ka Hana Ka 'Ike.
Photo courtesy of Oregon Farm to School Network.
Oregon Farm to School Network
The Oregon Farm to School Network unites farmers, educators, and nutrition professionals to transform school food systems, making local food more accessible in schools statewide. Their collaborative approach bridges the gap between Oregon’s agricultural community and school nutrition programs.
2024 impact:
- Secured $10.9M in state funding for Farm to School programs, exceeded funding goal by $700K
- Supported the development of a robust and diverse School Meals for All Coalition, which successfully advocated for the adoption of free school meals in 95% of Oregon schools
Photo courtesy of Oregon Farm to School Network.
Photo courtesy of Food What?!
FoodWhat?!
“Food, What?!” is a youth empowerment and food justice organization. At FoodWhat, youth engage in relationships with land, food, and each other in ways that are grounded in love and rooted in justice. The organization provides meaningful space where youth from the Santa Cruz, CA, region define and cultivate their empowerment, liberation, and well-being.
2024 impact:
- In 2024, more than 90 youth participated in FoodWhat?!’s programming
- 95% of youth reported that they gained useful job skills
- 86% of participants reported that they were eating healthier as a result of the program
Photo courtesy of Food What?!
Photo courtesy of FRAC.
Food Research and Action Center
Food Research and Action Center leads a nationwide movement to ensure all students have access to free school meals. By convening local, state, and national partners, they help states adopt policies that provide free, healthy school meals for all children.
2024 impact:
- > 3M children received free breakfast and > 6M children received free lunch on an average day across the eight states with Healthy School Meals for All policies during the ‘23-24 school year
- 11 additional states and D.C. have active coalitions working towards healthy school meals for all
Photo courtesy of FRAC.
Photo courtesy of Grow Dat Youth Farm.
Grow Dat Youth Farm
The mission of Grow Dat Youth Farm is to nurture a diverse group of young leaders through the meaningful work of growing food. Since 2010, Grow Dat has graduated over 600 youth participants with hands-on work experience, harvested about 383,325 pounds of food for the New Orleans community, and donated about 76,665 pounds of that food to other food-insecure residents.
2024 impact:
- 50 youth engaged in reimagining local food systems through collaborative farming
- 100% of participants gained skills to create positive community change
- 95% learned new cooking techniques and sustainable agriculture principles
“Grow Dat has taught me that I am always growing as a person and nothing is set in stone. I feel way more sure of myself than I did before, and especially when it involves food systems or farming in general. I now realize that my words and thoughts have value and people will actually listen to me if I talk.” —Reid, Grow Dat Participant, 2021-2024
Photo courtesy of Grow Dat Youth Farm.
FoodCorps member with children.
FoodCorps
FoodCorps places AmeriCorps members in schools nationwide to transform how children experience food through hands-on education, nourishing meals, and culturally-rooted food experiences. Building on school programming, FoodCorps develops leaders, grows networks, and advocates for policy change in service of every child’s health and well-being.
2024 impact:
- 528K students engaged across 220 schools in 18 states and D.C.
- Students eat up to 3x more fruits and vegetables after participating in FoodCorps programming
- 70% of states with Foodcorps programming made progress toward policies that support expanded access to nourishing school meals and/or food education
“I never knew cooking could be so fun! Now I can help make dinner at home and choose healthier foods.” —Foodcorps participant, Alanson School District (Michigan)
FoodCorps member with children.
Photo courtesy of Chef Ann Foundation.
Chef Ann Foundation
The Chef Ann Foundation ensures that school food professionals have the resources, funding, and support they need to provide fresh, healthy, delicious, cooked-from-scratch meals that support the health of children and the planet.
2024 impact:
- 419K students from 396 districts and 370 schools have benefitted from Get Schools Cooking and Healthy School Food Pathway since 2016
- 145K+ nutrition professionals used The LunchBox in 2024 to access recipes, support meal planning, and learn new ideas to implement in their classroom
- 800 new schools and districts used The LunchBox for the first time.
“Great tips and recommendations here to help implement change in our public schools. I have been searching for ways to help implement change for increasing plant-based foods in school lunches. This is a little slice of gold I have found on your site. Thank you very much.” —School Nurse in New Jersey
Photo courtesy of Chef Ann Foundation.
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