Galiano Island Community School

The Galiano School Garden is coordinated by the Community Food Program, part of the Galiano Club. The Food Program builds community by growing, preparing, preserving and sharing food. Strengthening island food security, we value collaboration, inclusiveness, healthy growing practices, sustainability and equal food access for all. The garden is the outdoor classroom where we involve community members and integrate learning. With this grant application, we request funds for the continuation of our School Garden program, started by a teacher in 1992. Now, 22 years later, our program teaches kids about ecology and how to grow, harvest and prepare food, linking gardening with the curriculum. We cook with children what they have just picked or foraged. A Whole Foods grant will allow us to continue our annual Applefest celebrations, Mini NettleFest and workshops for kids on topics such as composting, vermiculture, and seed-saving. We also seek funding to conduct soil tests.