The Central Lincoln County YMCA FARMS at the Y program announces that it is jump-starting a “Teen Pizza Garden” project to win a $400 SeedMoney grant.
With nearly 50 percent of students in Lincoln County schools eligible for free or fee-reduced school lunches, the Y and the FARMS at the Y programming are proposing a teen pizza party project in response to and as a way to support the hunger crisis of Maine and food insecurity of Lincoln County, ensuring that teens have a nutritious meal in which they actively participate in creating.
With the use of the all-access raised garden beds, after-school teens will meet weekly to research, plan, and maintain their pizza garden. Daily garden tasks will include watering, pruning, checking for disease/other issues, planting, and harvesting. Weekly kitchen activities will include researching pizza dough recipes and trying different kinds of dough, such as whole wheat, white, gluten-free, and vegetable-based. Teens will also research pizza recipes that inform garden planning and will research cheese-making techniques, trying different kinds of cheeses, such as mozzarella, ricotta, and vegan cheese.
The goals for the project are as follows: encourage students to understand how to care for a garden, instill an appreciation for locally grown food and how it is a vital component of a healthy diet, and teach students proper cooking skills and the importance of nutritionally dense vegetables
The project has been approved by SeedMoney for inclusion in its year-end challenge and was launched on Thursday, Nov. 15. The Y has 30 days to collect online donations, with a goal set at $600.
The first 50 campaigns to reach $600 in funds raised will receive a $400 challenge grant from SeedMoney. The campaign can continue raising funds even after the funding target has been reached. Campaigns that don’t win challenge grants will automatically be entered into consideration for one of 50 $200 merit grants that will be awarded in late February 2019.
To take part in this project and help the CLC YMCA win a $400 grant, visit the SeedMoney website at donate.seedmoney.org and search “CLC.”
All donations are tax-deductible and will go to the project even if the goal is not reached.
