Blue Foundation Ed Fund Award Video

The Education Fund won the prestigious 2009 Sapphire Award along with $100,000 from the Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida at a ceremony held Dec. 2 in Orlando.

Recognized for its Plant A Thousand Gardens Collaborative Nutrition Initiative (CNI) school gardens program, The Education Fund was one of two nonprofits selected for the top honor and the sole Miami-Dade County recipient of the Sapphire, the only statewide award that recognizes nonprofit organizations for demonstrating excellence in addressing health disparities within their communities.

CNIs seed-to-table schoolyard edible gardens program was created three years ago to counter the alarming rate of childhood obesity, diabetes and other conditions due to poor nutrition literacy and eating habits among at-risk students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). Students plant, maintain and harvest vegetable gardens over the school year while relating the lessons in the garden to multidisciplinary classroom exercises. Parents take part in planting and attend workshops on preparing healthy meals.

Positive data from CNI participants shows an 80% increase in children who report eating vegetables with lunch and that 88% of parents are preparing healthier foods. CNI has expanded to 25 Miami-Dade County Public Schools in 2009 with plans to be implemented in every elementary school within two years.

Category:

Education

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• Ed Fund
• Education Fund
• sustainable gardens
• community gardens
• school gardens