Daycares join schools in promoting healthy choices

August 31, 2016

WHITEHORSE—Yukoners are again invited to participate in From the Ground Up, a fundraising program that promotes healthy choices by selling fresh Yukon-grown vegetables to raise funds for participating schools and daycares.

Students from 11 Whitehorse schools and six rural schools (in Teslin, Destruction Bay, Ross River, Dawson City, Old Crow and Haines Junction) will be selling boxes of vegetables to raise funds for school projects. Five Whitehorse daycares are also participating.

“From the Ground Up now benefits children and their families from daycare all the way to high school,” Minister of Health and Social Services Mike Nixon said. “In addition to being a healthy-choice fundraiser model, it promotes healthy nutrition environments, makes the connection between farm and table, and supports Yukon farms.”

The 20-pound boxes of vegetables will contain potatoes, carrots, cabbages and beets. For every box sold, schools and daycares will keep 40 per cent of the profits with the balance going to the two local participating farmers, Yukon Grain Farm and Vogt Enterprises. The program also offers the option for buyers to support the community by purchasing a box to be donated to a family in need or a community group.

Once again, the Yukon government departments of Health and Social Services, Education, and Energy, Mines and Resources are working together to promote healthy nutrition environments in Yukon.

“The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources and the Agriculture branch are pleased to support From the Ground Up with funding from the Growing Forward 2 agriculture program,” Minister of Energy Mines and Resources Scott Kent said. “From The Ground Up supports our producers, helps Yukon’s young people experience the reality of growing fresh food, and helps encourage local food production for the benefit of all Yukoners.”

Fundraising efforts run from August 29 until September 13, 2016.

Learn more:
From the Ground Up

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Contact:

Michael Edwards
Cabinet Communications
867-633-7910
michael.edwards@gov.yk.ca

Julie Ménard
Communications, Health and Social Services
867-667-8478
julie.menard@gov.yk.ca

NT3