Food Insecurity

Students learned about...

Food scarcity in their local community, the needs of community members, local food supply, and delivery

Students investigated needs related to...

Food insecurity in their local community

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Fifth and sixth grade students began their project by hearing from community partners involved with Backyard Bounty of the Berkshires, an organization that gathers unused or unsold food from local farms, gardens, and orchards and delivers it to food pantries. Students then investigated various issues relating to local food supply and delivery in relation to the number of hungry families in their own community. They decided to create and sell a cookbook with proceeds that benefited The People’s Pantry in Great Barrington. Students gathered fresh, local ingredients and prepared meals from the cookbook to boost sales and help people understand what they could make with the recipes inside. An article was published in the local paper detailing the project and its impact on the community.

Lead:

Berkshire Hills Farm and Garden

Partners:

Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBC), CHP/WIC, People’s Pantry, Project Backpack, West Stockbridge Farmers Market, Backyard Bounty, Indian Line Farm, Alana Chernila (local author)

Grade Level:

5-6

Timeframe

Schedule

Document Links:

12 days/6 hrs per day

Monday-Wednesday 8:30-2:45, Thursdays are field trip days