Apple Seeds Inc., a Fayetteville based nonprofit organization that focuses on inspiring healthy living through a garden-based education, has turned to virtual programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lizzie Park started working at Apple Seeds after graduating from the University of Arkansas through AmeriCorps VISTA. The organization assigned her to work at Apple Seeds for a year where she was the program and volunteer coordinator. It’s now her second year with Apple Seeds, and she’s the farm lab coordinator.
“I’m very proud of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think that we were able to kind of switch and turn at the drop of a hat, Park said. “Our programs that we have filmed are, in my opinion, extremely well done.”
Park said that Apple Seeds has a few different programs. Three of them are based on firsthand experience that comes from kids being on the farm. Park said there is also a Cooking in the Schools program where they pack up everything they need and go to schools that can’t come to them.
“We place so much emphasis on firsthand experience, but a lot of it has had to be suspended,” Park said.
The Farm Lab Program is currently suspended. In a normal year, Park said this is a field trip for second and fourth graders to come and explore their farm to learn about nutrition and healthy eating while connecting with where their food comes from.
Sarah Zalucha is the programs and volunteer coordinator at Apple Seeds. She said the community can help the organization simply by looking at them.
“On our website and on our social media, we are constantly sharing new content that is free to people, and we would love to promote more community involvement and more people using those resources,” Zalucha said.
Park said the community can also help through virtual volunteer opportunities and reaching out with new ideas or ways to network their virtual programs.
Apple Seeds has lost a lot of funding because it has had to cut back on fundraising events, so donations are welcomed.
“A donation is always appreciated, but really, we just still want to be involved in the community. We want to help where we can. We want to know what’s going on with you guys,” Park said. “That’s really what it’s all about, is being part of the community.”
People can learn more about Apple Seeds through its website and social media platforms:
https://appleseedsnwa.org/
Apple Seeds Inc
Apple Seeds, Inc.
@appleseedsinc