Melinda Vogel—2010 Fellow
This summer I worked on a program for children and families called Roots ‘n Reading through Project for Pride in Living. Project for Pride in Living (PPL) is a non-profit organization based in the Twin Cities that serves and works with over 12,000 low-income individuals and families to improve their lives. My project fell within Roots ‘n Reading, a literacy, gardening, and environmental education program for children living at two housing sites in St. Paul. The program lacked a component for parents, thus my goal was to add programming with the children to connect back to their families. The focus of my project became nutrition, healthy food options, and cooking with vegetables from the gardens. I connected with local food co-operatives, compiled healthy recipes, shopping and cooking tips, and learned more about the ways the families were eating. Throughout my project I aimed to give families the tools to feed themselves healthier food. The most exciting part of my project was when each component came together in the video I directed and edited.