Jones Valley Teaching Farm

Jones Valley Teaching Farm (JVTF) uses food as a foundation so that young people can lead, create, and grow a healthy future for themselves and their community. The organization envisions communities inspired by food and transformed by youth.

• JVTF has worked closely with Birmingham City Schools (BCS) since 2012, operating seven studentcentered Teaching Farms. Annually, it serves 3,450 students at its BCS-based Teaching Farms and projects to engage over 3,550 students in 2023 via camps and field trips at its Center for Food Education.

• In 2022, the High School Internship and JVTF Apprenticeship expanded workforce development and certification opportunities while offering paid on-the-job training to 12 youth. Also in 2022, the organization harvested 21,000 pounds of produce, grew 44,000 seedlings, and launched Good Community Food to catalyze its food resiliency strategic goal. JVTF donated 19,974 pounds of produce and 16,000 seedlings via two Farm Stands and community partnerships.

• The IPC Foundation grant received supported the expansion of the JVTFGood School Food education and apprenticeship model.

Through Good School Food, our education and apprenticeship model, we see young people find wonder and curiosity in learning, create meaningful careers, and build skills to last a lifetime. This is big, important work, and we are grateful to have partners like the IPC Foundation as we watch youth discover the powerful act of growing their food, cooking their food, and sharing that harvest with others every day.

~ Amanda Storey, Executive Director