Canberra’s original farmers market, Capital Region Farmers Market, has today launched a new program to support school students and families of the Canberra region and assist in their education on the importance of buying and eating locally grown food.
Market Munchies, Capital Region Farmers Market School Grants, was launched today and makes it possible for schools in the Canberra Region, both primary and secondary, to apply for a one-off $1500 grant.
“The Market will support local schools in their education around healthy food and healthy eating. The $1500 grants will go towards educating school aged students on the importance of buying and eating locally grown fresh food and supporting local farmers and producers,” said Capital Region Farmers Market Manager, Sarah Power.
Capital Region Farmers Market, which is run by the not-for-profit Rotary Club of Hall, is seeking local schools to apply for the grant.
“We also want to encourage children and their families to shop for food with lower food miles, and food that supports local and regional farmers and growers.
“And of course, it’s also about demonstrating that the Capital Region Farmers Market is a positive healthy eating hub in the community,” Sarah continued.
The Market will provide one local school per school term with a one-off $1500 grant that the school can put towards their own nominated programs which assist with educating children on healthy diet, growing their own food, the importance of food with low food miles and supporting local farmers and growers. The school can nominate how they will spend their grant funding.
“In addition to the grant itself, the Market will offer the winning school the opportunity to have a stall at Market to sell their own garden produce, or produce of choice, as an additional fundraiser for their school. We will also offer students the chance to hold their own cooking demonstration at the Market, creating their own recipe using fresh Market produce and/or food they have grown themselves,” Sarah continued.
“And it’s super easy to take part. School representatives can nominate their school, the Market will then choose three schools in the running for the grant per school term. We will them promote the three participating schools and set up a ‘jar system’ for voting for schools onsite at the Market.
“Voting ‘tokens’ will be milk bottle lids that we ask the school’s friends and families to bring to Market to vote with. Those who wish to vote should bring their own milk bottles to vote and these will be donated to Canberra charity Lids4Kids Australia following each grant campaign, which is a school term.
“We hope as many school children and their families come to Market to support their school by voting over a four week period, and we’ll announce the school with the most votes by end of term,” Sarah concluded.
Grant funding is now available for Term 2 2023. Schools wishing to register need to do so by close of business Monday 15th May 2023 by contacting Market Manager, Sarah Power, via market.manager@crfm.com.au For more information and full terms and conditions on Market Munchies, Capital Region Farmers Market School Grants, go to www.capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au/market-munchies-capital-region-farmers-market-school-grants/
