Growing change in the Garden State

On a cool morning last year in Newark, Bridgette Byrd held up a garlic bulb to a class of second-graders in Newark. She identified its essential parts, its outer skin, sheath and the cloves. Then she demonstrated how to plant it, skin-on, pointy side up, just an inch or two below the soil. 

Bridgette works for FoodCorps, a national service organization working at the intersection of food and education. In Newark, with the help of service members like Bridgette, it is working to create a city with universal and equitable access to nutritious food and a healthy urban environment for living, work and recreation.

New Jersey is known as the Garden State. But there are pockets, like Newark and the city of Camden, that need support. That’s why Applegate is announcing a new partnership with FoodCorps in support of New Jersey schools where a majority of students benefit from free school meals.

The partnership is a no-brainer. After all, food systems change only happens when knowledge is shared equally. FoodCorps’ commitment to empowering young people to be their own health advocates speaks to the heart of Applegate’s mission: Changing The Meat We Eat®.

In addition to our funding, Applegate is looking forward to working with FoodCorps here in our home state.  And — shhhh! – our team is actively assembling back-to-school teaching packs for FoodCorps service members in the fall. 

We look forward to working with FoodCorps and salute them for their work in building a better food system. 

*Image by Rochelle Li