Leadership Group Picking Up Steam
Our Leadership Group, which we kicked off with ioby.org this fall, has been steadily moving forward. A core group of leaders has been meeting regularly since then, planning an Orientation for this spring, where we will invite all members of the community to join the Leadership Group and work on food justice issues together. Over the past few months we have collectively planned what we want the Orientation to cover and who we are inviting to help us facilitate it.We have also been discussing why neighborhoods with mostly low income people and people of color are often denied access to healthy food, and we collectively defined terms such as “capitalism”, “grocery store redlining”, “culture”, and “oppression” using an activity from Decolonize Your Diet (photos above). We will move into this work with the knowledge that residents are the experts on their own community, and the intention to center the voices of those most affected by food apartheid.
The Orientation will take place on Saturday, March 4 at New Settlement Community Center. We are excited to set off on this journey. Stay tuned for more details!
VIDEO: Cooking with Violeta & Aaleyah
We are excited to share a new video created by our Community Engagement Specialist, Jenina, and featuring our Community Engagement Assistant, Violeta, and her daughter, Aaleyah. Aaleyah has participated in our Look Who’s Cooking program at New Settlement’s Multicultural After School Program (MASP), where she learned how to cook healthy meals from countries all over the world. Violeta and Aaleyah now cook together at home, with Aaleyah helping out with the food preparation and continuing to develop her skills. Doing this is also a great opportunity for quality time between a busy parent and child. Watching these two together, the fun is contagious! So how do you cook Ginger Chicken and Broccoli? And what exactly is a “cheese sponge”? Find out by clicking the video above!
PS 294 Wellness Work Profiled by UFT
The United Federation of Teachers (UFT) recently published a profile on their website that features the work of our FoodCorps member, Kelsey, at PS 294. Here is a highlight:
“Hugo’s classmates learned that Lenape Indians once lived on the land where PS 294 now stands. They heard the legend of the “Three Sisters” — corn, beans and squash — and how companion planting helped those crops become staples for the Lenape. Then it was time to use their math skills. Kinderknecht found out the students were struggling with word problems. So they do word problems with her: You are making a Three Sisters feast of 121 small tacos for 11 people. If everyone eats the same amount, how many tacos will each person get?”
You can read the rest of the article here. Congratulations to Kelsey!
On that note, we are currently recruiting our FoodCorps member to serve at PS 294 next school year!
We are looking for someone who understands that healthy food for all children is key in securing justice for all children. We’re recruiting people who are eager to serve their communities, to do the hard but inspiring work of growing, cooking and teaching about healthy food, and helping schools transform into places where healthy food is served and celebrated.
As a service site, Community Food Action at New Settlement grounds this work in the strengths and needs of our neighborhood and in our comprehensive approach to tackling food issues. Check out the flyer below for more details:
