By Rosa Ammon-Ciaglo | Program Manager
“Training our youth at an early age to think about to how to eat the healthiest food possible, that they have choices, how to access food that is grown locally--all of these are going to be the issues of our future.
Empowering youth to be a part of that movement and conversation is the way that you make societal change in the long-term.”
These words, shared by Katherine Soll, Founder & Director of Teens for Food Justice, deeply reflect the the passion for youth leadership that not only drove the creation of the Teens for Food Justice program but is a core value of many other organizations and programs throughout New York City.
This month, we took a significant step forward in raise the volume and impact of youth voices in advocating for a healthier and more sustainable New York: on Saturday, May 16th, we hosted our first annual Youth Service & Advocacy Summit, Bringing Food Justice to NYC!, a full day of teen community service and leadership training organized in partnership with YouthVoiceNYC of the Resilience Advocacy Project and generously sponsored by Macy's.
The Summit brought together representatives of twenty organizations, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, New York City Coalition Against Hunger, NYC Service, Community Food Advocates and a group of central Brooklyn community farms and food pantries, who joined us in empowering a diverse group of 50 teen volunteers, representing all five boroughs and 30 high schools, to make their mark on the future of food and the environment in our city.
Serving Others, Inspiring Action
"I want to make a difference in how we live because each negative (and positive) action affects our environment. By being a youth food justice leader, I hope to help educate others and begin the foundations of a new movement toward greener, healthier living." -- Alyssa Vazquez, Teens for Food Justice Team Member
Over the course of this empowering day of service, teens...
We could not be more excited and grateful for the outpouring of support and enthusiasm that this event generated, and to be able to share with you the youth and community impact you have helped to grow through your contributions to Teens for Food Justice!
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