Half of young children do not eat a daily vegetable, according to the CDC. A local nonprofit is on a mission to change that, through education and partnerships.

FRESHFARM, which operates two dozen farmers markets in the D.C. region, is expanding its healthy food outreach program for grade schoolers to a new partner in Southeast D.C.

The National Children’s Center has partnered with FRESHFARM for its food and garden education curriculum at its Early Learning and Early Intervention Center.

FRESHFARM community food educators will visit the ELC once a month for in-person family educational sessions focused on local food preparation, procurement, consumption and food storage. Through the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, ELC becomes one of FRESHFARM’s Healthy Tots sites. In addition to monthly virtual cooking sessions, there will be biweekly virtual office hours with FRESHFARM experts.

Check out more on FRESHFARM’s ongoing nutrition education efforts online.

FRESHFARM operates in 21 D.C. public schools, reaching 7,600 pre-K through fifth grade students with its food education programs. FRESHFARM’s outreach was featured at the 2024 Food Is Medicine Summit held by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

NCC was founded in 1958 supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It currently runs a Baby Bloomers Urban Garden, offering healthy food options to residents in Wards 7 and 8.

FRESHFARM recently assumed operations of the Ward 8 farm stand at THEARC campus on Mississippi Avenue in Southeast, partnering with nonprofit Building Bridges Across the River to operate seasonal farmers markets. FRESHFARM now operates six farmers markets in Wards 7 and 8.

FRESHFARM generated $28.5 million in revenue for farmers and producers last year. It is the largest network of farmers markets in the mid-Atlantic, attracting more than one million customers to its markets.