San Mateo Park Elementary School Opens Learning Garden

San Mateo, CA (May 11, 2018) – San Mateo Park Elementary School will officially open its edible learning garden to the community on May 18, 2018 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The garden was funded through the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program, which was created in partnership with FoodCorps to help schools and organizations connect students to real food through gardening.

Original plans for the San Mateo Park community garden included rehabbing a small enclosed area on the school playground, but thanks to community donations, parent volunteers, funds from the Whole Kids Foundation grant and additional funding from the San Mateo Park PTA, the team has transformed a larger plot on the campus into a functional edible garden and teaching space. The garden is still in its infancy, but is already host to an afterschool program, called Healthy Living Ambassadors, to promote student nutrition.

“It’s amazing to see how far the garden has come in just a few short months,” says Cristina Haley, principal of San Mateo Park School. “The PTA and families are literally growing community spirit here at Park!”

Whole Kids Foundation programs give schoolchildren in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. better access to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as educational opportunities to learn about where their food comes from. Since 2011, the foundation’s programs have impacted more than 6.7 million students at nearly 10,500 schools and organizations. In the Garden Grant program alone, 4,800 grants have been provided.

“We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for the Garden Grant Program,” says Nona Evans, executive director of Whole Kids Foundation. “It’s so inspiring to see the diversity and creativity in the types of gardens that will be planted across the country and the interaction between kids and their communities.”

In addition to funding, San Mateo Park Elementary received a package of garden starter items, including seeds from High Mowing Organics, and a Garden Resource Guide with a wealth of information on resources and how to build and sustain gardens to ensure long-term success.

The garden ribbon cutting ceremony commemorating the official opening of the garden is being held on Friday, May 18th from 3pm to 5pm. The event is open to the public.

Contact: Lisa Warren SMParkSchoolGarden@gmail.com (916) 719-7146