(Pictured Above: Dominican University students Mariel Kamp, Krysten Kimbel, and Ka'ua Kahololeula advertise their CSA style boxes to Prof. Julia van der Ryn)This fall Dominican University, of San Rafael, Professors Lynn LoPresto and Julia van der Ryn are co-teaching a Humanities course entitled Living Justly, or Just Living. The course is heavy handed in community health and nutrition. In September the entire class participated in the Marin Organic sponsored National Gleaning Day.
We meet in the Fields:
Gleaning the fields for extra food from a Marin Organic producer member farm alongside students of all ages and community members alike was the Dominican students first introduction to the ways Marin Organic is involved with community supported efforts towards a healthy community and improving school lunch.
We meet in the Community:
LoPresto and Van der Ryn then helped organize the class to assist the Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program distribute the abundance of gleaned food harvested from National Gleaning Day. The Dominican students were able to connect and support school chefs and other organizers to receive local and organic produce to better serve Marin youth at Terra Linda High School, Canal Alliance Community Center, and The MYC youth center. A job well done!
We meet again:
That was the first time the class worked alongside Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program. The second time around LoPresto, Van der Ryn, and their students have a fundraiser project that involved creating transportation for the Novato Youth Center to visit a Marin Organic producer member farm and volunteer with the Glean Team. Creating access to a farm to glean is to ultimately see the cycle continue with more students working to create a healthier school lunch. The fundraiser: A local and Organic CSA style vegetable box sale on the Dominican University Campus.
We meet on Campus:
The class went above and beyond by creating a Food Justice Day on Oct. 21st near the Dominican University cafeteria. As well as advocating for and educating the masses on food justice issues, the students were selling CSA boxes made up entirely of Marin Organic produce such as beets, carrots, chard, tomatoes, squash, onions, and potatoes. What a deal! The buyers were essentially supporting so much it was overwhelming. Each person who bought a CSA box was supporting a college class project, local organic farmers, a local non-profit organization, a youth center in Novato, as well as personal and community health. Can I say it again, what a deal!
With Community health and Nutrition in the forefront, this class has truly created a beautiful picture of healthy community involvement. Thank you Dominican University Students, I hope we meet again.
Chester Densmore
Marin Organic School Lunch and Gleaning Program Associate
