“It has broad reach that has to do with food and nutrition and helping families, helping children, helping our community with food access.”
Julie Brunson is executive director of H.O.P.E. Gardens, a nonprofit serving roughly 2,700 first through fourth graders teaching them skills in nutrition, biology and chemistry through gardening. H.O.P.E. stands for Helping Other People Eat and the program is part of many West Michigan school districts.
“So, we have been doing STEAM classes in the Wyoming Public Schools elementary, four of them. So, what this means is it’s 100% eliminated. This program is eliminating our SNAP-Ed work.”
The program launched with SNAP-Ed funding through the Michigan Fitness Foundation supporting the creation of 14 outdoor garden classrooms throughout West Michigan.
Brunson says though their funding has been cut, they will find a way to continue their work with children, just to a lesser degree.
“So, they won’t see us monthly. It’s going to be scaled way, way back, including staffing scaled way, way back, but we want to keep our presence in the schools because we plan to build back where we were.”
Brunson says they are currently seeking new avenues of funding.
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