Media Resources
Slow Food Solano welcomes members of the media to use our organization as a resource for the latest information about the whole food movement. Our members include farmers, ranchers, educators and concerned citizens who would be happy to offer their expertise and experiences to get the word out about the benefits of locally grown food, sustainable farming practices and a move toward offering healthy, whole foods in our schools and local markets.
Contact Ruth Begell at begells@aol.com
News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: January 7, 2013
CONTACT: Mary Bourguignon, Garden Grant Coordinator
707-429-5589 (home) or 707-386-9288 (cell)
rwoodmaryb@sbcglobal.net
SLOW FOOD SOLANO OFFERS SCHOOL GARDEN GRANTS
(Vacaville, CA) Slow Food Solano is offering a limited number of grants for school gardens to Solano County elementary, middle and high schools. Schools may request up to $400. Applications will be accepted online at www.slowfoodsolano.org through January 15, 2013. Funds will be dispersed by February 15, 2013.
This is the sixth year that Slow Food Solano has offered garden grants to local schools. Starting with a pilot test at three elementary schools the first year, the program has expanded to include 19 grants to elementary, middle and high schools in 2012, representing all of Solano’s seven cities. Teachers have used the funds for everything from irrigation supplies to fencing to woks used for cooking the garden's bounty.
Teacher Cindy Lenners, a 2012 grantee from the Matt Garcia Learning Center in Fairfield, observed that, “For some students the garden leveled the playing field. They realized how good they were at working with their hands and caring for plants. It truly gave them a purpose and attendance improved.”
Lisa McClintock from Dixon High School noted that “planting and planning the garden supported curriculum standards,” in the areas of health, biology, math and geometry.
Nanette Thomas from Ace Charter School in Vacaville said, “We have been able to grow the Ace garden into our most popular program.”
Teacher Richard Rodgers of St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo also spoke to the value of school gardens, noting that the garden has energized students and faculty, and “Everyone is talking more about food production and food issues.”
Full details for the grant application process are available at www.slowfoodsolano.org. Slow Food Solano is a local chapter of the non-profit Slow Food USA, whose goal is to help create and sustain a food system that is good, clean and fair. Individuals wishing to support school gardens with a tax-deductible contribution may donate online.
Contact Mary Bourguignon at rwoodmaryb@sbcglobal.net or 707-429-5589 for questions.
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