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 servicemember can expect to do on a day-to-day basis at this site. We hope this documentwill 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 Jersey Service Sites

• AtlantiCare • New Brunswick Public Schools • Orange Public Schools • Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Gloucester County • Isles Inc • Philips Academy Charter School • Coopers Ferry Partnership • Center for Environmental Transformation • Grow it Green Morristown • Greater Newark Conservancy • United Way of Passaic County

AtlantiCare residing in Atlantic City. There are hundreds of different languages spoken in the city, and in

fact, the school district recently added to their City/Town: Egg Harbor Township staff a case worker who speaks over 40

languages to meet the needs of the many In support of AtlantiCare's vision to build diverse families who attend their schools. The healthy communities, AtlantiCare encourages most common languages other than English and educates people about how to eat healthy, are Spanish, Bengali, Vietnamese, Haitian stay active, and establish wholesome habits for Creole, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Gujarati. a lifetime. Our program addresses the root The racial makeup of Atlantic City is very causes of chronic disease by increasing diverse with black (42%), white (25%), consumption of healthy foods through the Hispanic or Latinos (24%), and Asian (9%) creation of access points for fresh, local making up the majority of the community. The produce by way of school and community median family income is $29,200, which is gardening and food-literacy-themed more than $40,000 below the state average programming and education. AtlantiCare has with 34% of persons living below the poverty partnered with all 11 schools within the Atlantic level (compared to 10% on the state level). City School District, as well as 78 other schools According to the County Health Rankings & in our service area of Atlantic, Cape May, and Roadmaps, 18% of Atlantic County residents southern Ocean counties. Our Healthy Schools report having poor or fair health and 17% are initiative stresses three main concepts: Healthy uninsured. Being that Atlantic City is the most eating, increased exercise, and emotional diverse community in Atlantic County with the wellbeing. The AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, greatest needs, it can be assumed that these Healthy Children program works together with percentages may be even greater in Atlantic the Growing Green program to support school City itself. Atlantic City's diverse characteristics gardens with funding and resources, including bring unique healthcare needs and challenges healthy cooking demonstrations by the that are as diverse as the people residing in the Growing Green Chef Council. All but one of the city -- whether that means serving families with 11 Atlantic City schools hosts a school learning young children, active adults in the prime of garden through funding by AtlantiCare Healthy their life, or older residents who may be facing Schools, Healthy Children and AtlantiCare age-related issues or living with chronic Growing Green. diseases. Although diversity may bring

challenges, it is important to note that such Atlantic City is located in Atlantic County, which diversity is looked at as a valued community is one of 21 counties in New Jersey. It is resource by proud Atlantic City citizens who located in the southeastern corridor of the truly care for their community. In addition to state. Atlantic City is part of the 8.1 mile long economic challenges, many residents of Absecon Island, along with Ventnor City, Atlantic City face health disparities which Margate, and Longport. Atlantic City is a disproportionately increase their likelihood for socioeconomically and ethnically diverse chronic conditions such as diabetes, community with urban neighborhoods, a cardiovascular disease, and cancer. These seasonal beach and bay district, and a city in diseases are debilitating and can negatively turmoil with the recent casino closings. impact one's quality of life. Poor nutrition and According to Census figures, there are 39,558 the lack of fresh and healthy foods are root people, 15,504 households, and 8,558 families causes associated with many chronic offer more exotic produce. 3) Atlantic City High conditions. Fresh and healthy foods are School (9-12): The plan for Atlantic City High nutrient dense and provide the body with much School is to have a full garden program needed vitamins and minerals to prevent incorporated throughout the school by building illness and manage disease. Deemed a food 10 raised beds on school grounds. Our service desert, Atlantic City was without a proper member will teach nutrition education every grocery store within its city limits until recently, Tuesday with Mrs. Harris's food class and and even now offers limited food choices in its every Wednesday afternoon with the Let's corner and convenience stores. As a result, Make A Move Club. Our service member may Atlantic City residents not only have issues also look at the need and want for a salad bar associated with hunger and food insecurity, but at this school and collaborate with the Food also with inadequate access to healthy foods. Service Director to have more locally grown This lack of access to healthy and fresh foods food in the cafeteria. directly corresponds to the high incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge among the city's residents, and it impacts the health of the City's youth. A service member at AtlantiCare would need to have interest and knowledge in nutrition 1) Texas Avenue School (K-8): Some of the education (including culinary skills), knowledge main goals for Texas Avenue School are about seed starting, garden maintenance, planting and growing all year round, having experience in community organizing as well as students work more in the garden, and having be outgoing and open to public students taste the produce they grow. Our speaking/presenting. Our service member service member will conduct taste tests in the should have computer skills, including and eye cafeteria and holding cooking lessons that for design when creating materials to be include nutrition education every month during distributed or used in school or community the PAC meetings. Every Thursday our service events. Knowledge around social media is a member will be dedicated to improving Texas plus! Avenue's school food environment and will teach one-hour lessons to five classes: one Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, Kindergarten class, one first grade class, one Middle School, High School second grade class, and two third grades Required languages: classes. 2) Chelsea Heights School (K-8): At Helpful languages: Spanish, Bengali, this school, our service member will create a Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Cantonese, new garden consisting of 5 raised beds that will Mandarin and Gujarati be used for nutrition-based garden education. Community type: Urban In addition, we plan to set up consistent Number of staff at service site: 5000+, our classes that our service member will teach program 3 every week. Another priority at this school will Access to a car: Required be holding taste tests. Throughout the year families will also become more involved in the process through offerings of services and opportunities. Lastly, we plan to partner with the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and New Brunswick Public Schools

City/Town: New Brunswick

New Brunswick Public School district is an urban school district. We approximately have 10,200 students and 1,675 certified teachers and support staff. Relevant programming includes: Snap-Ed., Nurture and nature.

New Brunswick Public School district is an urban school district. We are primarily 88% Hispanic, 10% African-American, and 2% other.

Three schools the service member will be serving are: New Brunswick High School, New Brunswick Middle School, and one of our elementary schools. We will look to engage the broader community via the PTO, teachers, newsletters, and the Wellness Council.

Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge

Ÿ Background in nutrition Ÿ Has experience with children Ÿ Bilingual (Spanish speaking) Ÿ Experience helping lower income families make healthy food choices

Students served: Elementary, Middle School, High School Required languages: Helpful languages: Spanish Community type: Urban Number of staff at service site: Approximately 1625 Access to a car: Helpful Orange Public Schools the various school and 3) the passion and knowledge for urban farming initiatives.

City/Town: Orange Students served: Pre-School, Elementary,

Middle School, High School The Orange Public School District commits to Required languages: provide a safe and caring environment where Helpful languages: Spanish each student is expected to grow and succeed. Community type: Urban We pledge to prepare all students with Number of staff at service site: 820 equitable opportunities for college and career Access to a car: Required readiness, leading to lifelong learning and responsible citizenship in a competitive global community. The district serves about 5,700 students attending 7 elementary schools, one 8-9 academy, one high school and three special focus programs. The district boasts a greenhouse at one elementary school and a community garden at another. The high school houses a hydroponic greenhouse. All three are incorporated into the district?s science curriculum.

The City of Orange Township has a population of over 30,000 people living in a 2.2 square mile area with very limited open green space. In the late 19th Century Orange was known as the hat-making capital of the world. But like many former manufacturing centers, the City?s suffers from a challenged socio-economic environment. More than a fifth of the population lives below the poverty line and median household income is only about $35,000. On the other hand, the city is home to a growing number of people from countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, making Orange one of the most diverse communities in the state.

Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge

We believe the qualifications that are unique to our district include 1) the ability to spark interest in and meet the needs of a diverse population of students and staff; 2)the ability adjust to various cultures within the district and Rutgers Cooperative Extension - Dotted with woods and beautiful lakes, traversed by beautiful streams, Old Gloucester Gloucester County County possesses a historical background that places it foremost in our country's history. Our City/Town: Clayton service member will live in a rural-turning- suburban area near Philadelphia, Atlantic City, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment and Delaware. You will be in close proximity to Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension helps Rowan University, the diverse population of New Jersey adapt to shopping/dining/entertainment opportunities, a rapidly changing society and improve their fitness opportunities and many, many local lives and communities through an educational farms, farm markets, and farm stands. A car is process that uses science-based knowledge. required for service at this site. Through science-based educational programs, Rutgers Cooperative Extension truly enhances Our service member will serve in three schools: the quality of life for residents of New Jersey Bullock School in Glassboro, NJ; National Park and brings the wealth of knowledge of the state School in National Park, NJ; and one other to university to local communities. The be decided in June based on year-end Department of Family and Community Health outcomes. At these schools, our service Sciences (FCHS), the community-based member will teach food and nutrition education nutrition, health promotion, and family wellness lessons in elementary school classrooms and outreach component of Rutgers Cooperative work collaboratively with teams to develop, Extension, provides workshops and online implement, and expand the Grow Healthy resources to educate and support families, Schools & Communities local food sourcing worksites, schools, and communities to create project and the Seeds to Success youth farm healthier lifestyles. Healthy Lifestyles FCHS stand project. Our service member will also programming provides access to and help conduct teacher trainings (called Teacher involvement in a variety of learning Institutes) to train teachers on the use of food opportunities that promote consistent and school gardens in the classroom, using a messages about the importance of healthy cross-curricular format, and they will work with eating in concert with daily physical activity schools to develop sustainability plans for where consumers live, work, and play. Our school wellness initiatives and their school programs are designed to be appropriate for wellness councils. Finally, our service member worksite wellness, early childcare/ pre-school, will identify opportunities to expand family youth, adults, and older adults. outreach around and community involvement in school wellness, school gardens, and local Gloucester County is unique in that it is an food. In schools, our service member will cook outstanding agricultural, industrial, and and prepare food with kids; conduct taste- residential area. Farming in all of its phases is testings; purchase supplies/equipment; build highly established and developed. Hand in gardens; and work with FCHS to train teachers, hand with agriculture, the county possesses staff, school foodservice personnel, and some of the largest industries of the east. Such administrators. In the community, our service a combination of agriculture and industry, member will promote/communicate FoodCorps' together with the location of the county in the and farm to school outreach via newsletters, metropolitan area of Philadelphia, was bound web sites, and local media/social media; to result in thriving residential communities. present to school boards, municipalities, and other organizations that could strengthen program support; take part in community mapping activities to establish a local food plan; and work with communities and schools to identify opportunities to bring more local foods to the table.

Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge

Edible education is key to our outreach. Service member must like to cook and engage with schools/students in creating foods that utilize crops from the garden. In winter months, we purchase foods to use in lessons. Service member must be organized and plan lessons in advance in consultation with FCHS and schools so we have a defined, developed outreach outline. (Remember though...things change in schools, so you'll need to be flexible!) We LOVE creativity! We encourage service members to identify a creative project -- print, web, photos, video, etc. -- that they'd like to work on and "create" to use with schools during their service year...and also leave with us for future service members and FCHS staff to use. Service member should be comfortable networking with schools and personnel to facilitate cross-curricular use of gardens and food in classroom education.

Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, Middle School Required languages: Helpful languages: Community type: Suburban Number of staff at service site: 13 Access to a car: Required Isles Inc cooking workshops and lessons for both youth and families.

City/Town: Trenton Isles' urban agriculture services address

hunger, food access, and community Founded in 1981, Isles, Inc. is a community revitalization in the Trenton region. Despite development and environmental organization being New Jersey's capital city and its location based in Trenton, New Jersey. With a mission in Mercer County, which is one of the to foster self-reliant families and healthy, wealthiest counties in the country, Trenton is sustainable communities, we design and one of New Jersey's poorest cities. Trenton's develop effective services that support this median household income is more than 50 mission and share what we learn with others percent below the median income for Mercer who can make a difference. We have a staff of County. In 2010, the city's poverty rate was approximately 60 employees across the 29.2%, with an additional 3,000 Trenton organization. Urban Agriculture is part of our residents falling into poverty last year. Trenton Community Planning & Development work, has only two small supermarkets to support a which also includes vacant lot stabilization, arts population of more than 80,000 people. planning, and mobile recreation. The Urban Ag Trenton residents, due to lack of transportation team consists of two full-time employees and or income, are forced to shop at corner and our FoodCorps service member, along with convenience stores, which are found in seasonal help, interns, and volunteers. Isles abundance throughout the city. Because of the currently supports more than 70 community lack of healthy food access, Trenton residents and school gardens across the city of Trenton are facing health challenges related to the lack by providing technical and organizational of healthy food consumption. The growing assistance to local residents, schools, and prevalence of obesity has reached epidemic other community-based organizations. Isles proportions in New Jersey, especially in low- successfully engages students, grades K-12 income communities like Trenton. Trenton is and beyond, in agricultural, environmental, and located approximately halfway between food education. Through gardening and Philadelphia and New York City, and it is close growing food, we are able to demonstrate the to major highways and regional public transit. significance of growing food locally to improve Mercer County, in addition to being home to nutrition, reduce the cost of feeding families, Princeton University, also provides a wide and teach children about the critical connection range of recreational and cultural opportunities. they have to the earth. Isles works with teachers and students in gardens at over The three key schools in which our service twenty schools in the Trenton area. Since member will serve are: Washington Elementary 2013, we have proudly hosted a FoodCorps (two 5th grade classes, one 1st grade class, service member in partnership with Rutgers and four Kindergarten classes), Grant Cooperative Extension and the NJ Farm to Elementary (one 5th grade class, one 3rd School Network. In 2015, our staff worked grade class, and one Special Needs class), directly with over 700 students, many of them and Robeson Elementary (four 4th grade repeatedly, at school gardens and at after- classes and one 2nd grade class). Our school and summer programs. In addition to FoodCorps service member will be involved in gardening education, we provide hands-on all aspects of our school garden program, from building new gardens and developing existing gardens to providing direct support for teachers and instruction to students. In addition to helping develop and deliver gardening lessons, our service member will conduct cooking workshops and tastings in the classroom. Outside of the three key schools, we are focusing our efforts on building capacity of schools to self-manage gardens through teacher training and teacher networking. Isles is also active in the Trenton Healthy Food Network (THFN), which is a coalition of community-based organizations and government entities that advance common health improvement goals. A community farmers market was started through THFN in 2015 which served as an outlet for produce grown in Isles-managed gardens and as an opportunity for gardening and food outreach and education. In the summer, we also provide food, gardening, and environmental education for youth groups.

Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge

Not necessarily unique to Trenton, but we're looking for someone with strong gardening/farming/ag background and experience with community and youth education. Energy, creativity, and adaptability are key!

Students served: Elementary, Middle School Required languages: Helpful languages: Spanish Community type: Urban Number of staff at service site: 60 Access to a car: Required activities, movies, restaurants, etc. Newark is Philips Academy Charter School headquarters to numerous corporations, such as Prudential Financial and PSEG. It is also home to City/Town: Newark several universities, such as Rutgers Newark (including its law school), the New Jersey Institute Philip's Academy Charter School serves of Technology, and Seton Hall University's Law approximately 375 students in grades K-8. Utilizing School. Among others, its cultural and sports unique learning environments, we seek to inspire venues include: the New Jersey Performing Arts students to embrace the highest principles of Center, the Prudential Center, and the Bears & environmental and nutritional stewardship. The Eagles Riverfront Baseball Stadium. Newark is EcoSPACES Department's core mission is to teach divided into five geographical wards and contains health/wellness and sustainability in all grades neighborhoods ranging in character from bustling through hands-on learning. Having a FoodCorps urban districts to quiet suburban enclaves. service member allows us to support a growing Newark's Branch Brook Park is the oldest county number of school gardens and increases the park in the United States and is home to the numbers of students, teachers, and families that nation's largest collection of cherry blossom trees. benefit from them. It allows us to connect people and community organizations through food and Our service member will support the ongoing healthy living. In conjunction with the family-style initiatives around food education within the lunch program, our students plant, cultivate, and EcoSpaces Education Program at both Philip's harvest our rooftop garden. The garden boasts Academy Charter School Newark and Philip's multiple beds, including those specific to grade Academy Charter School Paterson. Additionally, level curricula. In addition, the garden acts as an the opening of the new Paterson school in the fall outdoor learning center, which provides a of 2016 will require the creation of a new garden memorable space for discussion and exploration of and kitchen classroom, and we are excited for our the environmental world while also insulating our service member to help support these projects. gymnasium (which is directly below the garden) Also, our service member will help to establish and reducing the energy requirements for heating relationships with the community and help to and cooling. Philip's Academy's rooftop garden is a develop plans for local food procurement. space in which classrooms can meet outdoors for class discussions, writing, making art, poetry, Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge music, and movement in addition to gathering for meals as a community. Additionally, our new online It would be helpful for a service member at our site resource ecospacesed.org aims to reach to have experience with middle-school students. educators, foodservice professionals, and families Some classroom management experience is in order to educate and inspire an increase food always good. Additionally, we would prefer our literacy and healthy eating at school and in the service member to have knowledge of gardening home. and agriculture as well as some basic nutrition knowledge and cooking skills. With a population of around 300,000, Newark is the largest city (by population) in New Jersey. It is the Students served: Elementary, Middle School county seat of Essex County and one of the Required languages: nation's major air, shipping, and rail hubs. Located Helpful languages: in the heart of New Jersey's Gateway Region, Community type: Urban Newark is the second-largest city in the New York Number of staff at service site: 70 metropolitan area, approximately 8 miles (13 km) Access to a car: Helpful west of Manhattan. Its proximity allows for spending time in NYC and enjoying all it has to offer. Going west, there is access to shopping, outdoor Coopers Ferry Partnership home to Camden County College, Rowan University, Rutgers-Camden University,

Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, City/Town: Camden and the Coriell Institute for Medical Research.

While the city's history is noted for its The New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids- challenges, its future is marked by the Camden is a program of the Robert Wood commitment of its community, business Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The primary goal owners, and civic leaders to a brighter future. is to build and strengthen childhood obesity Camden's economic base is strengthened by prevention activities in Camden, NJ with a its ever-increasing number of both large and focus on policy and environmental change small businesses. The arts community initiatives for improved nutrition and increased continues to grow with the addition of a City physical activity. Since 2010, this program was Symphony and area art shows. Parks, trails, led by the YMCA of Burlington & Camden and greenways are currently under renovation Counties and the United Way of Greater and creation, increasing the recreational Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey until opportunities within city borders. Communities March 2016. Cooper's Ferry Partnership is now are working together to redevelop their the applicant for New Jersey Partnership for neighborhoods. Federal and state funds are Healthy Kids-Camden. Its mission is to reverse being utilized to repair infrastructure, utilities, the childhood obesity epidemic. Our partner, streets, and homes. A car is required for Campbell Soup Company's Healthy service at this site. Communities Initiative, has a goal to reduce childhood obesity and hunger by 50% in the Each year, Campbell Healthy Communities city of Camden with core focus areas - Food Initiative selects the sites in which Access, Physical Activity/Access, Nutrition programming will occur. Education, and Public Will - to drive strategy, engagement, and investment. The initiative's Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, common agenda is to improve the health of Middle School young people in Campbell hometown Required languages: communities. Together, we are working with Helpful languages: Spanish schools, organizations, and the local Community type: Urban government to reduce childhood obesity and Number of staff at service site: hunger through various strategies. Access to a car: Required

The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. Camden was originally incorporated as a city in 1828. Once a thriving center for manufacturing and industry, Camden, like most American cities, suffered a decline in the 20th century, losing both major employers and population. Currently, Campbell Soup Company and L-3 Communications (formerly Lockheed Martin) are among the city's largest employers. The University District, adjacent to the downtown, is Center for Environmental discover and appreciate new foods, while providing real world connections to the Transformation Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. Finally, CFET has relationships with City/Town: Camden a number of after-school programs involving cooking classes, environmental education, and The Center for Environmental Transformation urban farming that our service member may (CFET) in Camden, New Jersey engages, choose to lead during their tenure. educates, and inspires people to practice a more environmentally responsible way of living Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge on the planet. Garden SEEDS (service, eating, education, diversity, & silliness) is a year-round Experience in cooking, gardening, and program for children from pre-K through 8th teaching children would be very helpful. Artistic grade that focuses on the hands-on exploration background - art, music would be an added of food and where it comes from. Facilitated by benefit as well. our FoodCorps service member, participants explore everything from soil composition and Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, the plant life cycle to harvesting techniques. Middle School, High School Children also engage in simple nutrition and Required languages: cooking lessons, giving them a chance to taste Helpful languages: Spanish the fruits of their labor. SEEDS runs both on- Community type: Urban site at CFET and in local schools. Number of staff at service site: 2 Access to a car: Required Camden, NJ is a small metropolitan area of 77,000 people, located just east of the Delaware River and Philadelphia. In the midst of a renaissance, Camden is filled with local organizations working together to inspire progressive change. Whether you're interested in urban trails, boats, physical activity, gardening, or kids programs there is something here for you.

Our service member at the Center for Environmental Transformation (CFET) will serve in three schools in Camden, NJ: H.B. Wilson Elementary, Sumner Elementary, and Sacred Heart School. Together with the students at each school, our service member will grow vegetables and herbs in the school gardens and use the student-cultivated vegetables in cooking and nutrition demonstrations throughout the year. This program is designed to broaden the culture of health at each school and allow the students to Grow it Green Morristown students about different vegetables to eat and how a plant grows. At the elementary school,

we will engage the students in three areas of City/Town: Morristown education using Common Core standards in

social studies, language arts, and science. Grow It Green Morristown's mission is to create We'll use food and nutrition as a medium to sustainable farms and gardens that provide integrate these subjects and address issues of equal access to fresh, local food and educate food access and our food system. The Urban communities through programs focused on Farm reaches a large portion of the greater healthy eating and environmental stewardship. Morristown community and Morris School We manage the Urban Farm, a one-acre District. Our service member will also help with educational garden, where we bring student running field trips during the growing season, groups from the Morris School District and host teaching students where their food comes field trips from throughout Morris County. We from, and various farm-based education have three full-time staff members and four activities. The Urban Farm hosts field trips for seasonal interns each growing season. pre-K through 12th grade.

Morristown, New Jersey is an urban community Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge with a population of more than 18,000 people and a population density of 6,284.9 per square Duties will include: Hands on physical labor mile. The per capita income of Morristown Basic care, feeding, and tending of a large- residents was $37,573 in 2010, which is scale vegetable garden Using farm tools such significantly lower than per capita incomes of as pruners, wheelbarrows, hoses, etc. Must be surrounding towns (Morris Township: $65,335; able to lift heavy loads (such as soil, compost, Mendham: $93,011; Madison: $54,518; and rocks, etc.) A mature, positive attitude Harding: $109,472). In 2010, the census Dependable, organized, flexible and have a confirmed that 10.2% of families in Morristown sense of humor. Can be flexible due to weather were below the poverty line. Our school district constraints (i.e. heavy rain one day may had integrated all types of students within the change the schedule) Must be personable, like population. The preschool where our Urban working with all kinds of people including Farm is located serves a population of students children and our diverse community members where 75% of the students qualify for free or Engage as a member of a team A strong reduced price lunch. The school itself is service ethic and the ability to be independent, focused on serving a population that cannot with minimal oversight Excellent afford tuition-based pre-K programs. communication skills

Our service site focuses primarily on two Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, schools: The Lafayette Learning Center (pre- Middle School, High School K), and Woodland Elementary (K-2). Our Required languages: service member will work with teachers and Helpful languages: Spanish Grow It Green Morristown staff to share Community type: Urban knowledge and access to healthy eating using Number of staff at service site: 3 plus activities focused on food systems and a broad interns understanding of nutrition. In the preschool we Access to a car: Helpful will use what is called "Science Eyes" to teach Greater Newark Conservancy collection of cherry blossom trees in the nation with over 4,000 trees. The cherry blossom

trees are found in Branch Brook Park which City/Town: Newark was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the

designer of New York City's Central Park. The The Greater Newark Conservancy promotes resources and diversity found in Newark make environmental stewardship to improve the it a great place to live and work. quality of life in New Jersey's urban communities. We achieve our mission through 1) Hawthorne Avenue Elementary School: Our our interrelated program areas including larger, 2.5-acre farm is adjacent to this school, Environmental Education, Community and we would like to increase engagement Greening & Urban Agriculture, Environmental between the farm and the school community. Justice, and Job Training. Our FoodCorps With help from our service member, we want to service member will serve with our Urban set up all day, on-going lessons on the farm Farming and Farm to School initiatives. We with classes from the school. We will have two major urban farms (one is 1 acre and encourage more families from the school to the other is 2.5 acres) that yield over 6 tons of adopt garden bed plots on the farm as well. We produce a year. We operate multiple school would love to develop a farm stand at the gardens and provide ongoing weekly school and do weekly taste testing in the educational programming to the associated cafeteria of produce from the farm. Our schools. From June to November, we run ultimate goal is to improve the food weekly farm stands that make the fresh environment around the school and provide produce we grow available to the surrounding healthier options in the surrounding corner neighborhoods at a fraction of the price you stores. 2) Clinton Hill Community & Early would find at any supermarket in Newark. Childhood Center: The daycare center is These youth-driven farm stands accept WIC, located within a block of the same 2.5-acre SNAP, and Senior Farmers Market Vouchers farm. Overall, we would like to develop a and are mobile, which allows us to offer them stronger connection between the daycare at a variety of locations across the city in center and the farm. We are developing a response to community need. We are Readers to Eaters program at the school where developing a farm to school program in which our service member will read a food-related the fresh produce that is grown in the school story to all the classes and then do a taste test gardening program is available to the students of that vegetable at the daycare center. We and lessons on the importance of a well also would like to establish growing space for balanced diet are provided. the students, staff, and teachers at the school

and, if possible, find a way for the cafeteria to Newark, NJ is the state's largest city, located source local produce for the students' lunches. just 10 miles west of New York City. Newark is 3) Belmont Runyon School: Our service an urban environment with a sizable low to member will continue to use the classroom we moderate income population. Newark is home set up at the school to teach weekly nutrition to roughly 60,000 university students, and and gardening lessons. We would like to begin there are about 40,000 students in its public bi-monthly taste tests in the cafeteria and school system. Newark has some vibrant identify school property where a school garden neighborhoods, such as Forest Hill and the could be built. At all of the schools mentioned Ironbound District, and is home to the largest above, our service member will continue to develop wellness councils consisting of students, administrators, teachers, and parents.

Preferred Skills, Interest and Knowledge

The most important characteristics for work at this site are flexibility, tenacity, and good humor. Organizational skills, especially community organizing and the ability to initiate, pursue, and maintain partnerships with individuals and organizations is particularly helpful.

Students served: Pre-School, Elementary, Middle School Required languages: Helpful languages: Spanish or Portuguese Community type: Urban Number of staff at service site: 25 Access to a car: Required

United Way of Passaic County afterschool cooking and nutrition lessons, and help Head Start programs source local food.

You will also collaborate with local non-profits City/Town: Paterson to bring farmers and markets to school

grounds! Lastly, you will participate in the The United Way of Passaic County envisions a Passaic County Food Policy Council, where community where every child is ready to they will have the opportunity to learn about the succeed in school, every person can meet their food system from local leaders. most basic needs and everyone can pursue productive and satisfying lives. The office of Students served: Pre-School roughly eight employees takes on sustainable Required languages: programming that focuses on education, Helpful languages: Spanish financial stability, and, hunger. UWPC leads a Community type: Urban bimonthly Food Policy Council and has deep Number of staff at service site: 8 connections with local Head Start programs in Access to a car: Required its efforts to further the Farm to Preschool movement! Passaic County Food Policy Council is a group of stakeholders working to ensure that all Passaic County residents have access to safe, sufficient, nutritious, and affordable foods that supports a sustainable and economically viable local food system.

Paterson, NJ is New Jersey's third-largest city, with a population of close to 150,000. Paterson boasts a high level of racial and ethnic diversity, and many communities of new immigrants. Regions of the world represented in Paterson include Central and South America, Caribbean islands, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. According to the Paterson Public School district, there are more than 50 "first languages" spoken in the homes of school children. As an urban city that was founded on manufacturing, unemployment and poverty are persistently high. Access to healthy, fresh, affordable food is a challenge for residents. A car is required for service at this site.

As the FoodCorps service member partnering with United Way of Passaic County, you will support our efforts in preschool programs all over Passaic County in many capacities. You will expand upon school gardens, teach