Grow Cook Eat program graduates class and recruits for next
The Grow Cook Eat (GCE) program graduated its second class on Dec. 17, 2013. 15 individuals completed the program and celebrated their accomplishments with dinner the Sherwood Hotel with staff and mentors. This Chenango United Way funded program was designed to give participants an integrated and holistic program so that the whole experience would be greater than the sum of its parts.
Each participant was provided with a community garden plot, container garden or support for gardening in their own yard. Each participant was paired with a Master Gardener Volunteer gardening mentor. Requirements for graduation included taking five gardening classes, six Eat Smart New York (ESNY) cooking and nutrition classes, three food preservation classes, three YMCA physical fitness classes, personal goal setting and evaluation sessions, and completing 10 hours of volunteer work in the community, including the Chenango United Way Day of Caring event.
“We recognized that people enrolled in the ESNY class were not signing up for garden plots and vise-versa,” said Community Gardens and GCE Coordinator Stacie Edick, “so we designed a program to facilitate that cross-pollination and further enhance it by incorporating the Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver Volunteer programs.”
Participants reported that they were eating healthier by using produce from their gardens, shopping at the farmers market or farm stands and using healthier recipes from ESNY or the internet. Many reported increased physical activity through gardening, YMCA classes and walking. They were also using coupons and saving money by checking sales and preparing a shopping list. And they are modeling these behaviors to their families, coworkers and students or clients.
“We had another great group this year. The participants learned in the classes and shared their ideas and experiences with each other. This sharing is something we will put more emphasis on in year three,” said Edick.
The Chenango United Way informed CCE Chenango that their 2014 grant application was successful. Although the precise funding level is not yet known, Grow Cook Eat will begin recruiting participants for the 2014 program immediately.
“We are looking for a diverse group of adults to participate in the program again this year. We want to attract people of different ages, income levels, education levels, and people with various levels of experience and skills in gardening, cooking and food preservation,” said Edick.
If you are interested in applying to the Grow Cook Eat program, you can download the brochure with application from the Cornell Cooperative website, www.cce.cornell.edu/Chenango/GrowCookEat; or call 607-334-5841 ext 11 or ext 20 to request a brochure with application be mailed to you. The application deadline is March 7. The required orientation class will be held on Tuesday, March 18 at 6 p.m.
Each participant was provided with a community garden plot, container garden or support for gardening in their own yard. Each participant was paired with a Master Gardener Volunteer gardening mentor. Requirements for graduation included taking five gardening classes, six Eat Smart New York (ESNY) cooking and nutrition classes, three food preservation classes, three YMCA physical fitness classes, personal goal setting and evaluation sessions, and completing 10 hours of volunteer work in the community, including the Chenango United Way Day of Caring event.
“We recognized that people enrolled in the ESNY class were not signing up for garden plots and vise-versa,” said Community Gardens and GCE Coordinator Stacie Edick, “so we designed a program to facilitate that cross-pollination and further enhance it by incorporating the Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver Volunteer programs.”
Participants reported that they were eating healthier by using produce from their gardens, shopping at the farmers market or farm stands and using healthier recipes from ESNY or the internet. Many reported increased physical activity through gardening, YMCA classes and walking. They were also using coupons and saving money by checking sales and preparing a shopping list. And they are modeling these behaviors to their families, coworkers and students or clients.
“We had another great group this year. The participants learned in the classes and shared their ideas and experiences with each other. This sharing is something we will put more emphasis on in year three,” said Edick.
The Chenango United Way informed CCE Chenango that their 2014 grant application was successful. Although the precise funding level is not yet known, Grow Cook Eat will begin recruiting participants for the 2014 program immediately.
“We are looking for a diverse group of adults to participate in the program again this year. We want to attract people of different ages, income levels, education levels, and people with various levels of experience and skills in gardening, cooking and food preservation,” said Edick.
If you are interested in applying to the Grow Cook Eat program, you can download the brochure with application from the Cornell Cooperative website, www.cce.cornell.edu/Chenango/GrowCookEat; or call 607-334-5841 ext 11 or ext 20 to request a brochure with application be mailed to you. The application deadline is March 7. The required orientation class will be held on Tuesday, March 18 at 6 p.m.
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