Farm to Camp 2021 with Blue Cross NC
By: Andrew Partridge, Raleigh City Farm Marketing & Communications Volunteer & Editor
With the help of our supporting partner, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC), the third year of Raleigh City Farm’s “Farm to Camp” program was another great success for our young campers and for promoting healthy eating habits in our community. Thirty local youths joined the six-week program in July-August to learn about sourcing, preparing and eating healthy foods. They were fortunate to have Chef Ryan McGuire, chef at the Executive Mansion NC and RCF Advisory Council member to share his culinary expertise and top notch recipes.
Offering these kinds of experiences is an essential part of RCF’s commitment to sustainable agriculture by giving us the chance to encourage future generations to stay healthy and remain active in the development of their local communities. However, Farm to Camp would not be possible without having this vision in common with our partners at Blue Cross NC. Their support of grassroots movements like these shows their ongoing commitment to improving the health of every citizen in North Carolina, no matter their age or location.
Blue Cross NC Director of Community Engagement and Marketing Activation, Cheryl Parquet, says that issues like food insecurity and a lack of nutritional habits are significant factors for overall community health and is why Blue Cross NC remains invested in impact-driven programs like Farm to Camp. Opportunities for young North Carolinians to learn about the importance of healthy nutritional habits can make a meaningful difference throughout their lives, and providing information to campers’ parents helps reinforce these healthier habits at home.
Over the course of the six weeks, campers began with a tour of the farm and had the chance to sample and learn about the plants growing there. They also connected with each other over favorite foods and recipes, highlighting the important role that food plays in every community. Later weeks included hands-on cooking demonstrations and career exploration within the food industry, helping shed light on how exactly these skills might translate into future opportunities for the campers. Other important topics, such as food safety and preparation, helped further shape the mindset that food should be handled carefully all the way from soil to the kitchen.
As North Carolina’s largest insurer serving all 100 counties, Blue Cross NC recognizes that the road to addressing community health cannot be done alone and requires collaboration among sectors. The insurer focuses on supporting community-based programs throughout the state that are targeted at improving the health of communities in most need, such as rural areas with more restricted access to resources. In addition to the learning experiences received by the campers, Blue Cross NC’s participation also helps support local farmers and improve food security throughout the Triangle area.
Raleigh City Farm’s mission to “connect and nourish our community through regenerative agriculture” was at the center of this program, and we are proud to partner with Blue Cross NC to increase our impact. The future is in the hands of these curious, dynamic youth, and we hope that programs like Farm to Camp will continue to inspire their creativity and passion for healthy eating and supporting local food production. It was an honor to inspire them to “dig where they live!”
You can learn more about what Blue Cross NC is doing for local communities across the state on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina website.