Purpose

The Michigan 4C Association sponsored the Soup and Salad Program to provide children with opportunities to learn more about gardening and healthy eating habits.

Description

NOTE: THE SOUP AND SALAD PROGRAM WAS OFFERED AS A PILOT PROGRAM IN FY'04 AND CONTINUATION NOW DEPENDS ON LOCAL COMMITMENTS.  THE WECANENDHUNGER POSTING IS BEING MAINTAINED TO HELP OTHER GROUPS INTERESTED IN PROVIDING A SIMILAR INITIATIVE.

The Michigan 4C Association/Community Coordinated Child Care (MI4C) provided grants to childcare providers to help educate children about the benefits of gardening and healthy eating habits.  The program was available on a first-come, first-served basis to home-based childcare providers and childcare centers serving children in Michigan age five and under.

MI4C promoted the Soup and Salad Program on the basis that children who are involved in planting, cultivating, and harvesting their own fruits and vegetables are more likely to establish healthy eating habits at an early age.  Children gained learning experiences by exploring the world around them and how things work.  Gardening activities also helped foster children’s curiosity and raised self-esteem among children as they learned responsibility and experienced the success of tending a garden.

Licensed or registered home-based facilities were able to apply for up to $300 and childcare centers could apply for up to $500.  At least one child who was subsidized by a state childcare subsidy must be enrolled for a home or center to be eligible to participate.

Guidelines with an application form were transmitted to all licensed childcare providers in late-December/early-January.  A press release and regional childcare network newsletter articles were also issued to encourage involvement throughout the state.  Checks were distributed in February and March to begin projects with the spring planting season.

Grant monies could be used for:

• Items to plant a garden such as seeds, safe and age-appropriate garden tools, ground/soil preparation materials
• Indoor or outdoor gardening trays for container gardening
• Purchase of reading materials with nutrition/gardening themes
• Cost of field trips to farms, orchards, community gardens, greenhouses or farmers’ markets as part of enrichment activities to educate children about the importance of fresh foods
• Disposable camera and film development to create a photo album/scrapbook of the gardening project

Children in the childcare program must be involved with the gardening projects as much as possible.  Each project must also incorporate nutrition awareness activities, including consumption of items grown served in both raw and cooked forms with snacks/meals.

Involvement with the Soup and Salad Program was publicized through both local and state issued news releases highlighting local efforts.  Each participating provider must also submit brief report at the end of the gardening project season documenting how the program benefited the children and how nutrition activities were incorporated in the classroom.
Federal Community Food and Nutrition funds made available through the Michigan Family Independence Agency supported the Soup and Salad Program.

Outcomes

Soup and Salad grants were awarded for a total of $120,400 to 346 childcare providers in 2004.  An additional 100 applications could not be funded.

The program involved:

• 108 childcare centers
• 120 family homes
• 118 group homes

There were 9,242 children benefited from the program, including 2,139 children who receive a state childcare subsidy.
Providers indicated that children were able to learn a great deal about gardening and nutrition.  Many children tried various vegetables for the first time or learned to like fresh vegetables that they didn’t like out of a can.