As spring is upon us, we turn our focus on our gardens as the weather begins to change from wintery to warm. And the Go!Healthy team at the Children’s Aid Society also focuses its efforts on preparing its community gardens. Since 2006, the Go!Healthy Gardens program supports the education of children around nutrition and healthy living with a “seed to table” approach. Last year, over 475 youth (K-12) participated in STEM-based gardening education through afterschool programs in Children’s Aid across 12 sites.

Through this program Go!Healthy has helped to transform school yards, underutilized community gardens, and rooftops into vibrant growing spaces for education and enjoyment. In this program, kids use the garden as a living laboratory, and are introduced to the pleasures of growing, harvesting, and tasting fresh fruits and vegetables directly from their gardens. Some topics covered include pollination, soil, seeds, plant morphology, and photosynthesis. In addition, the ingredients from the garden are used by youth from across Go!Healthy programs to support their culinary adventure.

This spring, be on the lookout for Go!Healthy gardening events across Children’s Aid sites. For more information, please join the Go!Healthy Facebook group.

Follow Go!Healthy on Instagram. 

For more information about the Go!Healthy program please contact: Alyson Abrami, Director of Food and Nutrition Programs.