National Farm to School Month: Early Care Education Edition

(Recorded 10/17/19)

Speakers: Rebecca E. Lee, PhD, Arizona State University, Anna Mullen, National Farm to School Network, and Lacy Stephens MS, RDN, National Farm to School Network

Sponsored by the SNEB Nutrition Education for Children Division

October is National Farm to School Month, a time to celebrate the connections happening all over the country between children and local food. It is also a great time to learn more about farm to early care and education (ECE), a suite of activities and strategies that entails three core elements, including the use of local foods in meals and snacks, gardening opportunities, and food-based learning activities implemented in the ECE setting. Join speakers from the National Farm to School Network and Arizona State University to learn about opportunities to celebrate National Farm to School Month and to learn more about the vast array of benefits of farm to ECE for children, families and communities.

Learning Objectives:

• Access resources to support and identify specific opportunities to engage in National Farm to School Month
• Identify the three core elements of farm to school and how they can be applied in the early care and education setting.
• Recognize and name the health and education impacts of farm to early care and education for children, families, and early care and education providers.
• Understand the importance of NFSN’s ECE Survey and how this information influences decisions made at the national/federal level for allocation of resources.

 Dr. Rebecca E. Lee is a seasoned community psychologist and a professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation (CONHI) at Arizona State University (ASU). Her research primarily focuses on environmental and policy determinants of healthy eating and physical activity in ethnic minority youth and families. Dr. Lee is a fan of community based participatory research (CBPR) which engages community partners in all phases of the research process to enhance sustainable health behavior change.

Anna Mullen has long held a passion for social justice and advocacy, with special interest in food access, community health and sustainability. She pursues these interests daily in her role as Communications Associate with the National Farm to School Network, which works with schools and early care and education sites to promote healthy, local food in school meals, school gardens and nutrition education for all children.

Lacy Stephens, MS, RDN, brings her passion for supporting healthy kids, thriving communities, and sustainable food systems to her work as the Farm to Early Care and Education Associate with the National Farm to School Network (NFSN). NFSN is an information, advocacy and networking hub for communities working to bring local food sourcing and food and agriculture education into school systems and early care and education environments.

Applicable SNEB Competencies:

• Behavior and Education Theory
• Food and Nutrition Policy
• Nutrition Education Program Design Implementation and Evaluation