A letter from Nicole J. Caruth, Founder and Director, With Food in Mind:
Dear family, friends, and colleagues,
I hope that those of you who live locally are on the mend from the
effects of Hurricane Sandy. I send my thoughts to those throughout the
metropolitan region who will be rebuilding for some time ahead.
Hurricane Sandy’s destruction in the United States as well as in the
Caribbean has shown just how important it is to have strong communities
when we face challenges. I am writing today to ask for your help to
create a program that serves communities in need.
In July, I launched the organization With Food in Mind, which creates
projects at the intersection of food, visual culture, and social change.
We have already had some exciting moments, including a drop-in workshop
for children at Greening the City, an annual eco-art festival
in Brooklyn. Artist Jenna Spevack taught children how to make mini
arugula farms while community chef Melissa Danielle prepared a healthy
and delicious arugula and watermelon salad for the children and their
families. This event was a wonderful example of our mission and the
types of programs we’ll continue to offer. Through dynamic learning
experiences that combine art and food, we aim to cultivate future
generations of art enthusiasts and healthier eaters.
In the next month I am working to raise $6,000 to pilot Artists in the
Kitchen, our afterschool program for youth from low-income communities
and communities of color. Statistics show that African American and
Latino children not only suffer disproportionate rates of obesity but
also lack access to arts education more than other groups. I believe
that increased opportunities for food and art education are essential to
combating these statistics. Artists in the Kitchen can do this. The
program fosters learning and appreciation of the arts through the lens
of food. It will teach children about palettes and palates at a crucial
time in their lives—when their tastes are still developing. Please
consider making a tax-deductible donation to help bring this program to
fruition.
Donations will support the costs of our pilot program including:
stipends for teaching artists, materials for the students, field trips
to local museums and farms, and programs for parents. Our pilot will
serve middle school students at the School for Democracy and Leadership
located in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Crown Heights. Although this
school has a kitchen and farm onsite, they lack teachers and funding to
make adequate use of these facilities. I see a clear opportunity here
for our organization to make positive social change.
Artists in the Kitchen is a fiscally sponsored project of Fractured
Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Fractured Atlas requires
me to raise $1,000 from individuals before I can
apply for grants; we cannot meet our long-term goals without them. Just
ten contributions of $100 can fulfill this prerequisite and allow us to access more funding opportunities. Sixty contributions of $100
will allow us to also launch Artists in the Kitchen. Your generosity
can help us make a difference in young people’s lives and set them on
the path to better futures. Any and all donations are welcome and
greatly appreciated. Supporters will be listed on our website and in all
of our materials.
Contributions for the purposes of Artists in the Kitchen are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Please make a donation here: http://www.fracturedatlas.org/s/campaign/693.
In addition to monetary donations, there are other exciting ways to support the project: Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and help us spread the word to your friends and colleagues.
Thanks so much for your support.
Yours,
Nicole
