Our FLY (Food system Leadership for Youth) teens (aged 13-18) participate in food-system literacy training and lead community-driven projects for a healthier Colorado Springs. Projects include the creation of school-based food rescues, community cookbooks/food waste reduction media, participating in immersive field trips, and managing healthy food distribution programs. Through our programming we aim to foster youth leaders of food & health innovation in our community, no matter their socio-economic status.
🌿 Click here for current FLY staff profiles 🌿
See below for some of the initiatives that have been led by our "Full Circle Food Team" youth leaders!
The Atlas Preparatory School Intern/Mentor Program
F.L.Y. interns at Atlas Preparatory School both manage a weekly healthy food distribution program and partake in weekly 'food system curriculum' from our Program Director. The educational program is broken up into four sections:
- Communicate: What is the importance of relationship building in community-engagement work?
- Compost: How is food produced in our country? How is it wasted? What is our role in the food system?
- Cook: What are our respective food traditions? What is the importance of cooking together?
- Cultivate: How can we foster both food security and food sovereignty? Completion of final projects!
The Grocery Program model exists to serve and collaborate with otherwise overlooked neighborhoods with a realization that income is inversely proportional to consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Often low-income communities exhibit diet related diseases that can be avoided by increased consumption of fresh produce.
School Food Rescues
As of January 2016, CSFR has begun food rescues from the cafeterias of Challenger Middle School, and in March, began a similar project at General William Palmer High School in conjunction with a student-created "Waste Free World" mural. Since these pilot programs, we've begun "school food waste reduction" programs at schools in Districts 11, 2, and 20.
These programs aim to serve a dual purpose of both educating students on minimizing their waste, while making a tangible impact on the community through assisting in the process of the food's redistribution. Examples of schools in which we've assisted food rescue programs:
- Challenger Middle School
- General William Palmer High School
- Sierra High School
- Atlas Preparatory School
- Stratton Meadows Elementary School
- Fountain Valley School
If your school is interested in starting a 'school food rescue', please reach out to us at info@coloradospringsfoodrescue.org.
Community Cookbooks
A project by 2016 Atlas Prep interns was to create a "Community Cookbook" by gathering recipes from community members participating in a no-cost grocery distribution program. For any recipe shared, interns would return the favor by giving out a reusable canvas grocery tote bag.
