United Way partners with the Edible Classroom

The Edible Classroom, a nonprofit based in Washington Boro, has been selected as one of United Way's Level Up and Launch Fellows. Through the annual program, United Way offered a $25,000 grant and has committed further fundraising support to the Edible Classroom, as well as nine other local nonprofits.

In addition to the initial grant, United Way will match the funds that the Edible Classroom raises until Friday, Nov. 10. Beth Horst and Grace Julian, co-founders of the Edible Classroom, plan to use the increased support to strengthen the organization's existing programs and to expand its impact in the area. "As we were considering how to deepen our investment in our school districts, we saw this grant as an opportunity to expand in the community while remaining in the classroom," Horst said.

With the resources acquired through United Way's program, the Edible Classroom will focus its attention on two projects: establishing a school-based community garden in the Columbia and Lancaster school districts. One of the goals of creating the gardens is to provide educational opportunities for high school students in the form of paid internships, where the students will participate in the operation and maintenance of new programs. The gardens will also serve as a platform for many local school districts to offer science classes, gardening courses and career training.

At Hamilton Elementary School in School District of Lancaster, the Edible Classroom will expand the existing garden into an adjacent unused plot. The current garden is already being utilized for summer camps, community gatherings and garden education courses, but the expansion will allow for a larger space for events and easier public access to fresh produce. The Edible Classroom also plans to hold a series of workshops on site once the project is completed.

As the Edible Classroom progresses its project at Hamilton Elementary School, it is simultaneously working on a similar venture at Columbia High School and Middle School Hill Campus. Although the twin projects share the same goals, the undertaking in Columbia will focus in part on addressing food insecurity in the district. The food grown in the garden will be distributed to students' families through a partnership with Columbia Borough.

The Edible Classroom is currently in the early stages of planning the project, and Julian and Horst hope to begin installing the infrastructure for each garden in the fall. The nonprofit has also connected with local high schools to enlist the help of volunteer groups and those interested in becoming interns. "Right now, we're just networking with community members to listen and learn from them," Horst said. "We're going to go through one portion at a time as we acquire the funds."

For more information, visit https://theedibleclassroom.org.