Michelle Obama Hosts Annual White House Kitchen Garden Planting To Connect Kids To Their Vegetables
The first lady Michelle Obama, along with FoodCorps leaders, planted a pollinator garden earlier this month, which will help to support bees, monarch butterflies, and other pollinating insects. “If they have a chance to grow it, they’re more likely to consume it,” said Debra Eschmeyer, FoodCorps co-founder and program director for policy and partnerships. As part of the first lady's "Let’s Move!" initiative, the garden was first planted in 2009.
The FoodCorps organization is a program dedicated to teaching school-age children about the healthy food that they can consume during the school day. The National Gardening Association released a report saying that 35 percent of all American households are growing food at home or in a community garden — a 17 percent increase in the last five years. And two million households participate in community gardening efforts, which is a 200 percent increase in the last six years.
According to The White House blog, FoodCorps members will serve D.C.-area schools including Cleveland Elementary School, Friendship Public Charter School, Kimball Elementary School, Bancroft Elementary School, and Harriet Tubman Elementary School. The students from these schools also volunteered along with the FoodCorps members at the garden planting.
Not only will the garden teach the children about the healthy eating habits, but it also raises awareness regarding environmental issues.