Seed to Table seeks $20,000 for grant

An anonymous donor has stepped forward to assist Seed to Table (S2T) in raising funds for the continued support of Seed to Table’s expanded education program.

In 2018 the donor challenged the community to raise $15,000. This year, after seeing the success and demand for farm-to-school programming, the donor has offered to challenge the community to raise $20,000.

After meeting the 2018 challenge, Seed to Table was able to hire an education coordinator in June of this year. The addition of the education coordinator has been a “huge boost” for the organization, according to Executive Director Audrey Tehan.

Since its inception in 2013, Seed to Table has grown to educate nearly 1,500 students throughout Central Oregon each year. In addition, S2T feeds an average of 200 families each week during the growing season through food banks, schools and community. Over the past few years, Tehan reports the organization is constantly receiving requests from adults and students for increased educational services and fresh foods.

“We have been thrilled to support our community’s growing desire for fresh foods and hands-on education,” said Tehan.

In addition to expanding current programming, the addition of an education coordinator has helped S2T replace an important nutrition and science program that had been provided at the Sisters Elementary School through an AmeriCorps program. Because the two-year program ended in 2018, S2T’s education coordinator stepped in to fill the gap, according to Tehan.

“This really important program is now up and running and I would hate for that all to just to end,” said Tehan.

According to Sisters School Superintendent Curt Scholl, “Seed to Table programming is a critical factor in our schools having some of the top science scores in the state.”

The funds S2T received to support its education programs have gone further than expected. Programming that staff hopes to expand and improve include the Fresh Food Farmacy, K-12 education programs, free summer on the farm for kids and the Warm Springs Seed to Table pilot program. S2T’s Fresh Food Farmacy program featured in last week’s Nugget has been instrumental in helping adults and families live healthier lives. This summer S2T provided the community with free kids’ programming each Tuesday morning. The Warm Springs program is critical to expanding S2T’s nutrition education reach beyond Sisters.

“Our team is strong and dedicated and we greatly appreciate the community support!” said Tehan.

Seed to Table has until November 1 to raise the matching funds. Donations can be mailed to Seed to Table Oregon, P.O. Box 1812, Sisters, OR 97759.

For more information on contributing to the meet the challenge grant, visit http://www.seedtotableoregon.org.