Learn about Young Black Agri-preneurs Dec. 4
Black families who have a desire to save grocery money, learn food gardening skills and eat healthier will have an occasion on Dec. 4 to learn about a new program for their children - Young Black Agri-preneurs.
The Just Food Initiative of the Fox Valley is a nonprofit organization that works for food justice. Helping families be aware of the corporate food monopolies, harmful pesticides, hormones, GMO and artificial hybridizations, additives, and preservatives is half of the JFI mission.
The other half is helping families find alternatives. Just Food does not give handouts. Instead, families are helped with a hand up, an opportunity for knowledge and experience that no one can ever take away. Just Food offers lifetime food security and food sovereignty instead of dependence on a free, one-time food box.
The Young Black Agri-preneurs is such a program of opportunity. Children from sixth to 10th grade are first taught in small classes about how food grows and what is needed to make a successful food garden.
Next, Just Food gives each child the loan of an EarthBox along with organic soil, fertilizer and plants to make the garden happen - right at the family's door. No digging, no big backyard, no huge time commitment is necessary.
Each child also receives from Just Food a personal and knowledgeable food gardening mentor who will accompany the youngster all summer through planting, tending and harvesting the food for the family.
Though the Fox Valley is slowly enjoying more and more small, independent, family farms as a healthy alternative to corporate supermarkets, not one of these farms is owned by a Black family. The ultimate goal of Young Black Agri-preneurs is that by 2031, at least one farm will be a Black-owned farm. Out of all the children being educated by Just Food, one of them may choose farming as a profession and livelihood.
Churches, individuals, clubs or organizations interested in sponsoring a child for the 2022 program, as well as parents who would like their child to take part in Young Black Agri-preneurs, are invited to a planning session for 2022 from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Calvary Episcopal Church, 222 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31) in Batavia.
To register your attendance or to ask questions, contact Kelly at (331) 302-8498 or email Just Food at info@jfi-foxvalley.org. Leave name, email and phone number. JFI will respond immediately. All lovers of real food are welcome.
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