Starting out 2025, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on our wishes (and maybe to-do list) for the new year. Building on our successes in 2024, we have three main goals this year:
- Grow our team. After almost 18 months of piloting our program, there’s certainly a lot on our plate! We’re looking for roles like an Americorps member, VISTA, or student intern to help expand our capacity for offering taste tests, performing outreach, and sharing stories on social media. Beyond that, we’re looking for parent and community member involvement to bring unique perspectives and energy to our efforts. Contact kdavidson@rhnscny.org to learn how you can contribute!
- Coordinate with others. New York’s upcoming Medicaid 1115 Waivers, designed to support health-related social needs for priority populations like children ages 0-5 and their families, presents an exciting opportunity. These waivers aim to address essential services such as access to nutritious food. We’re excited to collaborate with our Food as Medicine program and other RHN initiatives to provide medically tailored groceries and similar services. We’re also learning from the extensive experience of Farm to School and other farm to institution programs to better coordinate local food purchases. Lastly, we’ll continue to connect with Farm to Early Care and Education providers statewide through the New York Farm to ECE Network and Local Foods Community of Practice, sharing insights and strategies. At our first two meetings in 2024, we made new connections and shared resources to ensure every young child receives nutritious, local foods. We’re looking forward to growing these connections this year!
- Deepen our impact. This year, we aim to amplify our efforts by increasing the number of taste tests, gardens, and local food purchasing initiatives at more sites. For example, one of our most successful sites last year offered monthly taste tests of healthy snack food alternatives, exposing “picky eaters” to more foods. Our long-term goal is to implement sustainable policy, systems, and environmental changes that foster healthy, active lifestyles involving fresh foods in ECE settings. We’re thrilled to offer a Farm to ECE track at the New York Association for the Education of Young Children conference and other events, where we’ll share our progress and inspire others to join this movement!
We’re looking towards the new year with hope and determination. By growing our team, collaborating with others, and deepening our impact, we believe 2025 will be a transformative year for Farm to ECE. We’re thankful to our Early Childhood partners, our funders at the New York Health Foundation, and YOU for your continued support. Together, we can create healthier, stronger communities where every child has the opportunity to thrive. Let’s make it happen!