FoodCorps is a nonprofit that partners with schools in underserved communities to teach children about fruits and vegetables so they can make healthy choices. Our vision is to create a future in which all our nation’s children––regardless of class, race, or geography –– know what healthy food is, where it comes from, and eat it every day.

Bow Elementary-Middle is a public, K-8 school in Detroit where a FoodCorps service member teaches weekly hands-on nutrition classes, conducting fun and engaging healthy food taste tests, and more. Ninety-five percent of Bow’s students participate in the national free and reduced lunch program, and the student body is nearly all children of color. National statistics show that 1 in 2 children of color are on track for diabetes, and there are financial, geographical, and historical barriers to accessing fresh fruits and vegetables for Bow’s families.

An integral piece of FoodCorps’ work includes connecting students right to the source - the garden - and involving them in the process of growing their own nutritious fruits and vegetables. Research shows that in schools where FoodCorps’ hands-on learning practices happen to a high degree, students eat triple the fruits and vegetables compared with peers in low-implementation schools. The school garden will be an invaluable teaching and learning tool at Bow, where core subjects such as science, math, and writing can be integrated into hands-on healthy eating and garden education.

The Bow School Garden will provide a space to bring together the school community in a collaborative project centered on food and health. Students will experience the wonder of seeing a tiny seed grow into a delicious vegetable, the joy of plunging their hands into warm soil, the therapeutic effects of gardening, and the teamwork and community building that makes it all happen.