Culpeper Wellness Foundation Awards $4,200 Grant to Office on Youth to Support HCAT Programs
By: Orange County Communications Department
Culpeper Wellness Foundation serves Orange, Madison, and Culpeper counties. It provides health and fitness programming and services, ensures the availability of high - quality medical care for low - income, uninsured adults, and works to provide mission - related local grants. The Foundation holds a unique role in the community as a provider of services, a partner and collaborator with donors, public and private agencies, and as a grant maker. To help support Orange Healthy Community Action Team (HCAT) programming, the Orange County Office on Youth submitted a grant
Charles and Vicki Horn unveil the sign they generously made and donated at the garden dedication ceremony on October 24, 2021.
proposal to the Culpeper Wellness Foundation in April 2022, and was awarded a $4,200 Healthy Living Grant the following month. This grant will enhance some existing programs of the HCAT, by supporting the
Mustard Seed Garden at OBC, expanding fresh offerings at the Love Outreach Food Pantry, and creating outdoor educational opportunities related to food origination, preparation, and nutrition. The Mustard Seed Garden is located at the Orange Baptist Church ’ s property off of Route 15 leaving the Town of Orange. At this garden, volunteers grow fresh produce, which is then donated to the Love Outreach Food Pantry. The HCAT worked to create this partnership with the intent of closing a nutrition gap. Due to seasonal availability, costs, and logistical concerns, it is often difficult for food pantries to regularly provide fresh produce. Funding from the grant will help support irrigation onsite at the garden, which will allow even more fruits and vegetables to be distributed to those in need.
Zach Darnell discusses growing produce during an Office on Youth Child Care field trip.
With that in mind, another arm of the proposal focused on incorporating the creation of new vegetable displays in renovations underway at the Love Outreach Food Pantry. The HCAT already works to coordinate preparation and recipe suggestions with the fresh produce being provided, which helps remove obstacles that might prevent a recipient from using the fresh items. Finally, the grant will support new educational programming regarding food origins and nutrition. In partnership with Darnell ’ s Garden Patch, the HCAT currently provides outdoor field trips for the Office on Youth school aged child care students, and the grant will facilitate expanding those offerings. Those interested in HCAT programming should contact Ashley Jacobs at (540) 672 - 5484 or ajacobs@orangecountyva.gov. The Love Outreach Food Pantry is located at 252 Blue Ridge Drive, Orange. It is open on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and the third Monday of the month from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Love Outreach Food Pantry can be reached by calling (540) 223 - 6674.
Page 22 | June, 2022
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter