Center For Food Education To Open In Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, AL — The Jones Valley Teaching Farm is pleased to announced Thursday that the construction of the highly anticipated Center for Food Education is now complete. Located on the downtown farm at 701 25th Street North, the Center is currently open for private events and will celebrate its grand opening in spring 2022 when programming for students commences.

In keeping with JVTF’s mission, the Center for Food Education will serve as the hub for academic exploration, personal growth and pathways to leadership and employment through food, farming and the culinary arts.

The building will be home to daily field trips and Good School Food instruction, culinary programming, training and professional development for teachers and school administrators, as well as increased employment opportunities for graduates of Birmingham City Schools.

“I believe that the power of growing, cooking, and sharing food can impact our community in incredible ways,” said Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm. “The Center for Food Education will be a place to gather and teach, experience and celebrate, and grow — quite literally — together as a community. I’m thrilled to share our work with a larger audience and to have a place we can call home as we build our organization and our city’s future.”

The center sits on JVTF’s three-acre city block in downtown Birmingham, and the design of the building intentionally embraces the surrounding bounty, with floor-to-ceiling windows allowing students in the Center to watch the food grow while learning in the classroom.

“We are incredibly grateful for Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation seeing us, believing in us, and putting Jones Valley Teaching Farm and the Center for Food Education on the national map,” Storey said. “When Sprouts discovered Jones Valley Teaching Farm, it was at an integral time for our growth. Not only did they invest in our programming, but they then invested in the Center for Food Education as one of our lead donors. As a result, this generous grant will allow Jones Valley Teaching Farm to continue its work in the community while lifting up the organization and providing the resources needed for continued growth.”

In addition to gearing up for the center’s debut, JVTF also launched its annual giving campaign on November 22 that supports its operating budget. This campaign will run through the end of 2021 and allow members of the Birmingham community and beyond a chance to support the organization and the new flagship learning center.