Growing Chefs is a registered Canadian Charity dedicated to enhancing food literacy among B.C. children. The Port Moody Foundation’s funding supports the Classroom Gardening & Cooking Program, directly impacting students in Port Moody schools.
Cultivating Food Literacy
Many children are unaware of the origins and cultivation of their food. Growing Chefs’ programs empower children to take pride in growing, cooking, and eating their own food. Through the hands-on experience provided by chefs and community volunteers, children engage directly with the entire food cycle.
Enabling Educational Growth
The Port Moody Foundation’s contributions are crucial, covering costs for classroom materials such as gardening and cooking equipment, fresh produce, and the training and coordination of volunteers. This support is instrumental in bringing the enriching experience of Growing Chefs to children in Port Moody.
Volunteer Reflections
One volunteer at Pleasantside Elementary shared their rewarding experience:
The kids we had this year were extraordinary; they gravitated so well toward the program and truly enjoyed it. One of our favourite memories was the knife-cutting class we did with them in lesson 5. Once they realized they would be handling a knife, some of the kids went a little quiet and shy, perhaps a bit afraid, but as we walked each of them individually through the drill, everyone was super proud to have used a knife to cut veggies with.