A Campaign to Build the Center for Food Education

The $7.69 million Ready to Grow Campaign led by Campaign Co-Chairs Pardis Stitt and Nick Willis allows for JVTF to obtain the city block that is home to the downtown Teaching Farm, improve existing community and farming spaces, and build the Center for Food Education. The Center will position Birmingham as a national leader and model for food-based education and workforce development.

Conceived to increase access to educational opportunities, fresh food, and green space, the Center will include:

• A Welcome Pavilion at the heart of the Center that will act as a community gathering space and outdoor classroom

• A Good School Food Education Wing where community and student lessons will occur daily in our interactive classroom and fully outfitted culinary studio and teaching kitchen

• A Farm Wing where we will process our harvest and prepare and store produce for distribution throughout the community

• Farm enhancements including a dedicated Phillips Academy Teaching Farm, state-of-the-art greenhouse, larger and accessible community garden area, accessible community farm stand, early childhood garden, fig grove, and expanded orchard