Pictured above: AmeriCorps Farm-to-School Coordinators serving over the past few years
Dear friends,
The wave of federal funding cuts this spring included the cancellation of the Local Food Purchase Assistance program, the Local Food for Schools and Child Care program, and the Patrick Leahy Farm to School program. Today, there are proposed cuts to SNAP nationally, and the proposed elimination of Universal School Meals within Vermont. We are deeply concerned about the implications for food access and local farms, and urge you to reach out to your elected officials to advocate for these important programs.
At this time, what is affecting our mission most directly is the federal funding cut to the AmeriCorps program, which we have relied on for 4 full-time Farm-to-School Coordinator positions. Our AmeriCorps members facilitate our Farm-to-School program in 17 schools within Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, providing hands-on learning to over 2,000 students through workshops, taste tests, after-school programs, field trips, and more. Each summer, our AmeriCorps members also play an important role in caring for our member schools’ gardens and helping out at The Lunchbox meal program. They had planned to complete their 1-year term of service in August.
Amid uncertainty around the AmeriCorps program, we’re committed to continuing our vital work and making plans to retain our AmeriCorps team this summer. Their resilience and dedication to serving the kids of the Kingdom remains stronger than ever. Please help us support these incredible young professionals as they seek to continue to serve our communities.
Can you pitch in to help us sustain our AmeriCorps positions this summer? Donate here
We are proactively engaging in conversations with our school administrators about next school year. We remain committed to delivering Farm-to-School programming to our communities, and will provide updates as plans take shape in the coming months.
Thank you for your support during this time,
Catherine Cusack
Executive Director
AmeriCorps service shapes the lives of those who serve. We are reminded of this whenever we hear from past members who served with us. Here are some messages we received recently from GMFTS AmeriCorps alumni:
“My time with GMFTS as an AmeriCorps member was a pivotal experience for me, both professionally and personally. I developed meaningful relationships with my cohort and the communities within which I worked and lived to the extent that four of the six of my AmeriCorps cohort decided to serve for a consecutive service year before our first year of service came to an end. I also gained invaluable insight into the processes and impacts of public policy at both a state and federal level that allowed us to provide the education and experiences we were able to orchestrate and develop for students across the NEK. My experience with AmeriCorps sparked a curiosity in me to learn more about public policy, which resulted in my attending the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs through the University of Pittsburgh. I was also granted a scholarship for my master’s degree that I would not have been eligible for were it not for my service terms with GMFTS. I continue to maintain a passion for public service and policy, specifically pertaining to equal access to quality food and education on local food sources and systems for all community members. I frequently begin describing my service years with GMFTS by explaining that never in my life have I been invited into so many strangers’ homes upon our first interaction. The inclusivity of the tiny communities, their commitment to equal access to and education of growing and/or eating local food and communing with nature, and the willingness to let me be a part of the entire experience are just a few aspects of my AmeriCorps service that I can say continues to inspire me to be a consistently active community member working toward a better future for all- regardless of how big or small my individual impact may seem.” – Meg Steward Scarfo (2015-2017)
“Being part of the AmeriCorps program at GMFTS was a dream come true for me. I had always wanted to have the opportunity to teach children about food. I learned so much from being an AmeriCorps member. I learned a lot about teaching and lesson planning, but I also learned about the power of being a part of the community you’re serving and the nuance of service in general. Now, I’m a school nurse. It may seem like a totally unrelated job, but there are aspects of my time in Vermont that still apply to my job today. I’m so grateful I had that opportunity.” – River Ostrow (2015/2016)
