The James Beard Foundation (www.jamesbeard.org) and Food Tank (www.foodtank.com), along with a prestigious advisory group of more than 70 food system experts, developed the third annual Good Food Org Guide featuring 1,000 food-related organizations across the United States.
Ten initiatives from Virginia were chosen including: Fauquier Education Farm, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Project GROWS, Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, Tricycle Gardens, City Schoolyard Garden, Virginia Association for Biological Farming, Virginia FAIRS, Virginia Food System Council and Shalom Farms.
Project GROWS
Project GROWS is a 10-acre, youth-oriented community farm in Augusta County, Virginia whose mission is to improve the overall health of children and youth in Staunton, Waynesboro and Augusta County through community farming that includes hands-on experience, nutrition education, and access to healthy food. Project GROWS teams with children and youth at the Boys & Girls Club of Waynesboro, Staunton and Augusta County to offer various programs throughout the year.
Their summer program allows them to learn growing and team-building skills and come away with a wider understanding of their food, nutrition, and health. The community farm also serves as host to public and private school groups who come to visit for hands-on learning. In 2013, Project GROWS developed a gardening curriculum that aligns with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs), allowing educators to browse their Summer Curriculum and bring classes for a hands-on garden lesson.
About the Guide
This definitive Guide highlights organizations that are doing exceptional and dedicated work in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in the areas of food and agriculture, nutrition and health, hunger and obesity, and food justice. At least 10 organizations were chosen from each of the 50 states so that wherever people live they can find nearby organizations working to cultivate a better food system.
The first annual 2014 Good Food Org Guide was released as the definitive guide to organizations—national and state-by-state—who are making an impact through their work. The second edition in 2015 introduced a brand-new online platform, and has been viewed and downloaded more than 150,000 times. The expanded 2016 Good Food Org Guide incorporates new initiatives from across the nation, and will be released at the 7th annual James Beard Food Conference in New York City on October 17-18, 2016.
”Working in collaboration with the James Beard Foundation, we are proud to bring the total number of listed organizations to the 1000 mark. It is a testament to the tremendous amount of growth and support we have seen in the ‘good food’ sector,” says Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank.
The vision and objective of this annual publication is to focus attention on the hundreds of organizations (listed in alphabetical order, not ranked) who work every day in fields, kitchens, classrooms, laboratories, businesses, town halls, and Congress to create a better food system. We’ve selected organizations and initiatives that spotlight efforts active in community building and engagement, advocacy, and service.
”The Good Food Org Guide continues to serve as a useful tool for individuals looking for opportunities to improve their local food system. The Guide’s user-friendly design makes it the go-to resource for identifying nearby organizations doing good work in the areas of food justice, hunger, and agriculture,” says Susan Ungaro, President of the James Beard Foundation.
Distinguished experts, including past recipients of the James Beard Foundation Leadership Award and food and agriculture leaders, collaborated to generate the list.
This year’s guide has grown in size and includes an in-depth online interactive mapping and search tool. The updated website (www.goodfoodorgguide.com) allows users to search by keyword, location, and category in order to explore the organizations that interest them. Every organization has its own unique profile page including contact information, description, logo, social media links, directions, and photos.
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