Local School Gardens get $20,000 Grant for Infrastructure

School gardens across East Jefferson County are getting a $20,000 grant to strengthen their capacity and infrastructure.

The grant is funded with $10,000 from the Jefferson Community Foundation (JCF) board discretionary fund with an additional $10,000 match from long-time community leaders Anne and Dick Schneider.

Community Wellness Project (CWP) will receive the funding, which will enable them to invest in durable infrastructure for school gardens in the Quilcene, Chimacum and Port Townsend School districts. 

CWP cultivates the health, resilience, and well-being of families and food systems across the North Olympic Peninsula. CWP conducts garden education for grades preschool through sixth in all three districts. In addition to its School Garden category, CWP provides program programming in Farm to Cafeteria and Culinary Arts Career and Technical Education.

The funds will be used to purchase and install essential improvements such as drip irrigation systems and timers, raised bed materials, hand tools, wheel hose, rototillers, picnic tables, arbors, composting supplies and other equipment identified by each school.

The money will be distributed equally across the three school districts.

“We selected this recipient with the aid of the Community Foundation’s Board and staff.” Anne Schneider said in a JCF news release. “This funding will help sustain growth in school garden programs, allowing more teaching time and more student participation.”

“This grant will help students connect with agricultural practices and serve to teach them how to grow their food,” Siobhan Canty, President and CEO of JCF told the Beacon.

The grant couldn't have come at a better time, as recent grant freezes by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies have disrupted school garden and farm-to-school programs nationwide.

“We are very grateful for this support,” said Shelby Smith, project manager at Community Wellness Project. “By improving the physical infrastructure of these gardens, we increase student access to outdoor learning, expand food-growing opportunities, reduce maintenance costs and create more welcoming spaces for classes, families and community volunteers.” 

The Schneiders have been involved in supporting the school gardens for a couple decades. Anne was a member of a group called Women Who Care, which donated $10,000 to the Quilcene School District for its first school garden. Dick was involved in the start of the fruit tree orchard at Blue Heron Middle School and created RainCoast Farms.

Though local support for food banks and other farm, garden and food-based efforts is robust, the need is high and growing. 

JCF provides a platform to enable community members to direct donations to organizations and causes that they specify or allow JCF to facilitate.

“Jefferson Community Foundation is here to help community-minded leaders like Anne and Dick Schneider build a local legacy now and for years to come,” Canty said. “We are proud to be a partner in charitable giving to over 112 residents of Jefferson County. People can learn more about JCF, our options for Donor-Advised or Legacy Funds and how we might be a source of information as they make charitable decisions by visiting jcfgives.org.”