Indiana Environmental Reporter: Earth Charter Indiana receives USDA grant for statewide expansion of its Thriving Schools Challenge

Read the entire story by Timberly Ferree here.

Earth Charter Indiana has received a $225,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant that will support expansion of its Thriving Schools Challenge with the development of gardens at K-12 schools throughout the state.

This is the third year of the Indy Thriving Schools Challenge program, originally created in partnership with the Indianapolis Office of Sustainability to support a component of Indy’s THRIVE plan to establish sustainability and climate friendly actions throughout the city. This past school year, ECI took sole ownership of the program.

This USDA grant will support the following: Contracting with farmer-consultants; piloting the School Garden Liaison initiative, the first inception of ECI’s new TSC Youth Leadership Development Program; and along with other support, assisting schools in waste and emissions reduction and the creation of climate focused curriculum for Indiana schools.

Given this increased capacity ECI will change the name of its Indy Thriving Schools program to Indiana Thriving Schools Challenge, to reflect its statewide aspirations.