Boys & Girls Club of Goshen Plants Seeds, Grows Good Food

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When the last school bell rings, many kids head to after-school activities.

The Boys & Girls Club has been a fixture of the after-school community for decades, providing programs and services that promote and enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence.

Recently, the Boys & Girls Club of Goshen, Indiana has made a four-year commitment address hunger and wellness issues. Around 30% of the population in Goshen is Latino, and many kids participate in programs at the local Boys & Girls club.

One of these initiatives is planting and maintaining a new garden to get kids excited about eating healthy food.

With the support of staff, attendees will be responsible for daily care and harvesting.

Adrianne Penner, associate executive director for the Boys & Girls Club of Goshen, believes their work is about exposure and education.

“We took a step back and said, ‘How can we serve food better?’” said Penner. “A lot of our kids wouldn’t be able to go into a grocery store and tell you what the produce is. If we can show them, teach them, give them experience – not just in growing, but in cooking – they’re set to make decisions for themselves.

The education will be helped by a new cafeteria, funded in the spring by a $250,000 grant from the Elkhart County Community Foundation. Despite only having space to seat 42 kids, the club serves about 360 snacks to children on a daily basis, as well as 140 dinners in the evenings to more than a third of its attendees.

In addition to a larger cafeteria, the club will build a teaching kitchen for kids to gain “cooking experience that will equip them for a lifetime,” Penner said. “Many kids cook for their siblings right now, so it’s not just about preparing them for the future; it’s also about addressing current needs.”

In summer 2013, the club banned soda and junk food, organized a 5K run for kids and their families, and worked with the Chamberlain Neighborhood Association’s garden. Penner has also talked with local farmers about providing produce for meals.

Erica Lint, cafeteria supervisor and garden coordinator, plans to help the children utilize the garden’s produce in both the club’s kitchen and at home.

“When we give these kids responsibility, it’s amazing how hard they work,” Lint said. “This garden is coming from seeds, but soon they will have skills and food to take home to their families.”

Read more about the plans.
Read more specifics about the new garden.