NEW YORK. New York Service Sites

Transcription

1 NEW YORK Below you will find detailed descriptions of all of the service sites located in this state. Each description includes details about the community where the service site is based, the overall work and mission of the organization, and what an incoming service member can expect to do on a day-to-day basis at this site. We hope this document will help you to best determine where you are most interested in serving Please note that all service sites and site descriptions are subject to change. Final details will be confirmed during the position offer process. New York Service Sites Bubble Foundation Ltd. Edible Schoolyard NYC Harlem Grown Wellness In The Schools FoodCorps Service Sites

2 Bubble Foundation Ltd. The Bubble Foundation is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools in the most underserved neighborhoods of New York City to foster healthy lifestyles for children by bringing nutrition, physical activity, and wellness programming to schools. The Bubble Foundation's goal is simple: to build a future in which all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to the food, activities, and education that empower them to live happy and healthy lives. At Bubble, we believe that making healthy choices about the food you eat and the proper way to care for your body is the cornerstone to success in school and in life. Bubble partners with school administrators and staff to integrate wellness into the fabric of a school's culture -- from the classroom to the cafeteria. Our intensive weekly class format and close partnership with schools help to establish wellness as an enduring school priority by demonstrating what is possible to accomplish within school walls. Bubble partners with underserved New York City schools that have the greatest need for our services. We believe all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, deserve to live a happy and healthy live. This leads us to focus on those communities of New York City with the poorest health outcomes and least access to healthy foods and activities. Our target impact communities include East Harlem, South Bronx, and Central Brooklyn where we see the greatest need for our work. According to 2011 NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) data, the target impact communities we serve are an average of 10 percentage points higher in obesity prevalence than the overall city of New York. Bubble also partners with schools that serve lower income populations with greater barriers to health. All of Bubble's schools have at least 75% of students eligible for free lunch, with most of our 2 schools having at least 90% of students eligible for free lunch. Our service member will support programming in two to three Bubble partner schools including PS 165 in Brownsville, Brooklyn and PS 81 in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. A third school may also be identified pending Bubble's new school application process, which will take place in Spring Activities will include: meeting with school administration and staff to determine program goals, teaching Bubble cooking and gardening curriculum, coordinating parent and family events, coordinating teacher training and wellness events, establishing gardens, supervising volunteers, and serving as an advisor in overall school wellness efforts. Bubble is seeking someone who is comfortable solving problems and managing multiple projects at once. They pay attention to details while keeping in mind big picture goals. They are flexible, creative, and a self-starter. They are comfortable working with kids and family members of diverse backgrounds. Our ideal service member has the sense of responsibility to do what it takes and overcome obstacles, and will contribute to a strong team culture. They are passionate about food access and education. Experience in a classroom setting and in gardening is helpful but not required. Students served: Preschool and elementary school Number of staff at service site: FoodCorps Service Sites

3 Edible Schoolyard NYC City/Town: Brooklyn Edible Schoolyard NYC works to transform the hearts, minds, and eating habits of young New Yorkers through a seed to table education that is integrated into schools. Our program works to give children in New York City public schools access to healthy food through hands-on, positive experiences, providing knowledge and skills to take with them throughout their lives. At our two Demonstration and four Network Schools, we partner with public schools to teach garden and cooking lessons, run community and family programs, and work to incorporate a healthier food environment into all aspects of the school, from cafeteria to the classroom. Through citywide teacher training programs, we also give educators the knowledge, tools, and curriculum to incorporate edible education into their own classrooms. Nearly one in four children in New York City is food insecure, and over 50 percent of New York City public school children are obese or overweight. Diet-related health issues account for almost 75 percent of preventable deaths in the U.S. This issue has a disproportionate effect on low-income communities and communities of color, and children in these communities lack the access to, engagement with, and education about real, healthy food that they so desperately need and deserve. The schools we work with are located in a District Public Health Office (DPHO) target area of either the South Bronx, East and Central Harlem, or Central Brooklyn; areas which have been identified as having the highest rates of diet-related diseases in New York City. shared vision and set goals for garden and cooking education during the school day, family and community programs, and cafeteria initiatives. For just a few examples, our service members can expect to co-teach garden and cooking lessons with classroom teachers, lead family cooking classes, develop and facilitate after school garden and cooking activities, help maintain a school garden, and provide tastings in the cafeteria. Our Network Schools are currently PS 311, CS 55, and PS 109 in the Bronx, and Evergreen Middle School in Brooklyn. Ideal candidates are independent self-starters with some experience with gardening and/or cooking in an educational setting, as well as experience with community organizing/development in diverse communities. Spanish language skills preferred. Students served: Preschool, elementary school, and middle school Number of staff at service site: 21 Each of our service members will support one of our Network Schools to incorporate a healthier food environment into all aspects of the school. Our service members are expected to work with the school community to create a FoodCorps Service Sites

4 Harlem Grown Harlem Grown's mission is to inspire our youth to live healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability, and nutrition. Harlem Grown operates urban farms, school gardens, and a hydroponic greenhouse in Central Harlem and serves over 1,000 youth each year. Our programs include school gardens, inschool sustainability mentors, summer camp, yoga, and community workshops. Students served: Elementary school and middle school Helpful languages: None Number of staff at service site: 12 Harlem Grown serves at-risk youth living in communities with high poverty rates and high unemployment rates. Of the families we serve, over 85% are living at or below the povertyline. Almost 1 in 2 (46%) of our youth are either overweight or obese, and 80% live in singleparent households. Our communities are modern food deserts wherein fast-food restaurants are upwards of 4 times as prevalent as the overall urban average, and access to affordable, healthy food is limited. Harlem Grown works with three schools in Central Harlem, two elementary schools and one middle school. Our service member will work with various classes at each school to implement hands-on nutrition, cooking, and gardening education. Additionally, our service member may engage the broader community in workshops and educational tours on our farm. We would prefer that our service member have experience working with diverse populations. A desire to learn and grow is a must FoodCorps Service Sites

5 Wellness In The Schools Wellness in the Schools (WITS) inspires healthy eating, environmental awareness, and fitness as a way of life for kids in public schools. Through meaningful public/private partnerships with school leadership, teachers, chefs, coaches, parents, and kids, WITS develops and implements programs that provide healthy foods, healthy environments, and opportunities for regular play to help kids learn and grow. Students served: Elementary school, middle school, and high school Number of staff at service site: 60 WITS schools are typically in underserved communities where 70% - 80% of the kids participate in the free and reduced price lunch program. The communities are often "food deserts" where food education is minimal. Our two service members will have the opportunity to harvest from school gardens and talk to students about growing food and the benefits of eating vegetables. Our service members will also have the opportunity to assist in teaching WITS Labs and WITS BITS (hands-on nutrition activities), both to students and adults (parents and school staff). Our service members can also engage with the kids at lunch, serve on the salad bar, and offer tastings from the menu. We are looking for service members with strong leadership and management skills, strong interpersonal skills (necessary for working cooperatively with school personnel, parents, and other partnering organizations), excellent organizational and communication skills, and an ability to work well with children and parents. We would prefer a culinary school graduate or someone with equivalent experience FoodCorps Service Sites