CHL FS Pilot Projects Feature: Anchorage Park Foundation’s “Planning Grant for Developing a Youth Engagement Outdoors Program”

The Children’s Healthy Living Food Systems Extension and Outreach (CHL FSEO) Pilot Projects were selected for funding in September 2023. Projects were selected by local advisory committees based on their ability to engage and empower communities to influence the food system to support the health of young children in the US Affiliated Pacific. In today’s feature, we are happy to introduce the selected project from Alaska.

Jurisdiction: Alaska

Project Title: Planning Grant for Developing a Youth Engagement Outdoors Program  

Organization: Anchorage Park Foundation

The Anchorage Park Foundation (APF) will collaborate with partners to plan a new summer program for middle school students to gain strong connections to service learning, outdoor recreation, healthy food, and work experience. The program would recruit underserved youth ages 14 and 15 years old to participate in a cohort engaged in service learning activities that also benefit the community. Activities may include those related to school gardens, invasive species, or tree planting. Through these projects, teens would learn about food forests, soils, gardening, permaculture, healthy foods, tree planting, civic engagement, team building, and outdoor recreation.

The project’s proposed scope of work focuses on developing this comprehensive new program. Planning components include completing a needs assessment, developing program components in detail, convening partners, and generating internal program components. Key aspects of the program will be developed, such as the program budget, safety protocols, partnership agreements, recruitment strategies, marketing materials, program implementation documents, program evaluation tools, and a funding plan.

Alaska’s proposed project was informed by a wide spectrum of community partners and supported by data from the State of Alaska’s Healthy and Equitable Communities Strategic Plan. The school district and APF recognized the need for a summer program for at-risk teenagers. The School Garden Network and 4-H recognized a need for the maintenance of school gardens. Hence, outdoor educators are key partners for the summer program for this new group of teenagers.