What We Do
It all starts with food.
We see food and how it’s grown as central to the health of individuals, communities, and our planet. That’s why, for 20 years, we have embraced a deceptively simple mission: to teach kids where their food comes from and why it matters.
Connecting with food and where it comes from means connecting not only with nutrition, but also with the environment, natural cycles, our community, and our roots. (literally and figuratively!)
The food we eat, time spent in nature, and a deepened sense of connection and belonging all have remarkable benefits not just for our physical health, but our mental, environmental, and social health as well.
Who knew food could be so powerful?
Why does it matter?
“HEAL Class makes me feel calm.”
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You are what you eat.
The food we consume has a direct impact on our physical health.
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Your brain will thank you.
Diet and connection with nature directly impact mental wellness.
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Food can save the planet.
Food systems are a powerful way to fight climate change.
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Food brings us together.
Food is central to our culture, and nothing connects us like a meal.
Our Programs
Through hands-on, nature-based programs at four school gardens and our two-acre educational farm on the San Mateo County coast, we offer kids an opportunity to reconnect with the things that nourish them: their food, their planet, and each other.
Our field trips, garden classes, and camps serve over 4,000 students each year with outdoor learning opportunities that inspire kids' natural curiosity and cultivate environmental awareness in the next generation.
All of our curriculum, focused on health, environment and agricultural literacy, is fully aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards.
We also maintain a free, comprehensive school garden curriculum created through grant funding with the US Department of Agriculture, with 26 weeks of standards-backed lessons with downloadable guides, videos, and supplemental cultural and heritage content.
Health,
Environmental, and
Agricultural
Literacy
“Every child in San Mateo County should get to eat something they themselves planted. When this happens in a school garden it has a positive impact on academic achievement, health and the environment.”
Our Education Philosophy
At The HEAL Project, we believe that agriculture-based education is a valuable tool to help students connect with their place in the environment. All participants in our farm and garden programs see science, art and math concepts come alive through interactive activities. Student participants are encouraged to find wonder in nature and to nurture that wonder beyond their time with us. By promoting students’ self-sufficiency and skill-building, we hope to foster students’ connection between food, health and the environment in order to grow the next generation of environmentalists, scientists, sustainable farmers and change-makers.
All program participants have the opportunity to “dig their hands in” and contribute to the well-being of the soil, plants and animals on and around the farm and gardens. Our teaching practices encourage students to understand the link between the health of our local environment and their own health. We do this by demonstrating how food is grown and how we then use that food to nurture ourselves.
Though available to all grades, our biggest impact is through programs for elementary-aged students at the San Mateo County School Farm. We strive to be culturally relevant, age-appropriate, accessible and fun. We offer programming to all students in San Mateo County through free or low-cost farm field trips.
Our educational philosophy encourages wonder and builds connections between students, the natural world and the food system.
“The earth comes alive for my daughter. Alice comes home excited about how things grow in the ground and use sun and water to live. She now understands the connection between food and the place from which it comes.””
Our Food Philosophy
The HEAL Project believes that food is a profound way to bring people together and build community. The health of our bodies, communities and environment intersect on our plates as well as in our homes, farms, gardens and beyond. Our agriculture-based curriculum encourages children to develop the skills and knowledge tools to make healthy food choices for themselves and their world. Children plant and harvest food in our programs, which enables them to experience not only how food benefits their health, but also how good it can taste.
We believe that healthy food is minimally processed, locally grown and seasonally consumed using sustainable farming methods. Research shows that children who consume a variety of whole foods have improved memories and cognitive and physical development, as well as sustained energy levels. Eating a nourishing diet reduces the risk of the chronic diseases that plague our modern society.
Our food philosophy encourages the nourishment of students’ bodies, minds and spirits while forging community connections through the sharing of wholesome, delicious food.
See these links for more information:
What should be taught in secondary schools’ nutrition and food systems education?
Nutritional Quality of Organic, Conventional, and Seasonally Grown Broccoli
Community Representation and Engagement
We believe it is our responsibility to represent and deeply engage with the community we call home.
Through community partnerships, advisory groups, and concerted hiring and training efforts, we strive to be an organization that contributes to a thriving region.