Mission
From Penacook Community Center's website and a speech written by Deb Cuddahy for her talk on Community Collaboration:
PCC’s collaborative “Jump And Sprout” project was designed to develop a community of practice among early childhood professionals that focuses on introducing and cultivating healthy food choices in young children. This model promotes the importance of healthy eating and active living and it applies a comprehensive and coordinated hands-on approach to sustainable seed-to-table gardening both at school and at home.
PCC is taking the lead in this collaborative project and has invited 3 other childcare centers in the area that have committed to be part of the “Jump and Sprout” Project to join them. They have provided staff from all 4 Childcare Centers with a free hands-on “Jump and Sprout” workshop/training that included a researched based 22 week curriculum guide and supporting take away materials that focused on:
- Sustainable seed-to-table gardening; all the components of planning planting, maintaining and harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables in container gardens and outdoor gardens at school and at home.
- Cultivating healthy food choices in young children through sensory exploration, tasting and cooking activities, songs, interactive games and books and how to engage families in the process.
- Make-and-take-it kits for growing a garden in the classroom or outdoor garden.
PCC’s Jump and Sprout Collaborative Project produced over 1,300 lbs [in 2013; 1,633 lbs in 2014] of produce that was distributed to all of the PCC childcare programs, senior program, MV [Merrimack Valley] Daycare Programs and local food pantries. The Jump and Sprout project was generously funded by the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation; Thomas W. Haas Advised Fund and the Douglas and Raymah Hoyt Fund for Penacook. The project was also sponsored by the Merrimack County Savings bank.
"My initial thoughts were:
What can we do to help bring active living and healthy food into the community? We do physical activity every day [and] eat healthy snacks. But how do we go beyond that? How do we touch the families? What are the resources existing here in Penacook to make this happen? What partners do we need to help us get there? It's all about reaching out and asking questions, but the bottom line is we need funding."
--Deb Cuddahy, Executive Director at Penacook Community Center
"The Penacook Community Center understands that solutions are not achieved in a silo and they pride themselves on creating partnerships and collaborative endeavors that have a greater community impact than they could achieve alone; together they are able to create meaningful impact for those who need it most." -Community Collaboration, Gardening for Good with the Jump and Sprout Program
Linked Programs
Penacook Community Center also provides programs that bring Jump and Sprout to the families of the kids. Cooking Matters uses the food grown at the garden to teach recipes and cooking techniques. Family Fun nights incorporate Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL)--some of the garden goods are used in the meals provided at the events.
Photo gallery
This is a collection of photos put together by Deb Cuddahy, Executive Director of PCC, for a presentation to the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation about the Jump and Sprout Program.
(click on the arrows to the right of the page to expand)