Correction from Brad Lander: "Training for the youth in this program will begin in early MAY not early April. So there is still lots of time to apply!"
I am delighted to announce that beginning Saturday, July 9th, a youth-run farm stand will be coming to the neighborhood. My office is sponsoring the program in a joint partnership with GrowNYC’s Youthmarket and the non-profit organization Family Cook Productions.
To be located on Fort Hamilton Parkway between East 4th and East 5th (in front of the Windsor Terrace library), the farm stand will sell fresh fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers. It will operate every Saturday from July 9th to September 10th.
I am writing both to let you know about this exciting project and to ask for your help in recruiting a diverse mix of local high-school students for paid positions as Teen Battle Chefs/Youthmarket staff.
An exciting collaboration
We need 6 local young people, who will have the opportunity to work with the following dynamic programs, to staff the farm stand:
Youthmarket: A project of the GrowNYC, (which also operates the City’s Greenmarkets) Youthmarket’s purpose is to fight the epidemic of diet-related disease while bringing additional revenue to small- and medium-sized farms. Youthmarket carries out this mission through a network of youth-run urban farm stands. By training and employing young people and working in collaboration with the communities they serve, Youthmarket expands the reach of local fresh fruits and vegetables while giving youth the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in running a small business and become ambassadors of good eating and healthy food to their families, friends, and schools.
Teen Battle Chef: An award-winning youth education program run by non-profit organization Family Cook Productions. Family Cook Productions gives schools and community-based groups the tools to teach nutrition through cooking. Teen Battle Chef empowers youth to challenge themselves, develop leadership, teamwork, and culinary skills as well as gain nutrition knowledge and a new appreciation for diverse, healthy and sustainably-produced food. After 8 weeks of training youth involved in the program will become Teen Battle Chefs. Click here to learn more about the Teen Battle Chef program and their work in schools around the City.
Super-star Kensington volunteers Veronica Guzman and Laura Duffy will work with these six local teens to train them in cooking techniques and nutrition education that the Teen Battle Chefs will showcase at our Youthmarket each week.
Please help us recruit high-school students
We are looking for teen applicants, who will be trained by Veronica and Laura, to become Teen Battle Chefs. Do you know any high school students interested in cooking and living a healthy lifestyle or who would like to learn more about the healthy food movement? If so, please encourage them to apply for a fun, paid summer job that will help empower the community. Weekly trainings begin in early April Teens will be paid hourly to operate the market every Saturday from July 9th – September 10.
Have a teen interested in applying? Have them call Jessica Turner in my office at 718-499-1090 or email kensingtonteenbattlechef [at] gmail.com for more information.
To tide you over while we await the July 9th Youthmarket opening/Kensington Teen Battle Chef debut, check out Family Cook Productions’ March monthly recipe for Spinach and Asparagus soup.
I am very proud to be a sponsor of this market—I hope you agree it will be an excellent addition to the community fabric of Kensington and Windsor Terrace and commit to help us spread the word to youth about this tremendous opportunity. I look forward to seeing you at the market this summer!
Brad