Abernethy Elementary in Portland, Oregon is a recipient of a “HybridCare in Our Backyard” grant. Abernethy-area resident and KEEN employee Suzanne Stainbrook nominated the school’s innovative and award-winning wellness program. Five local charities in total were chosen by KEEN’s grant committee, and each received a $5,000 grant.

Abernethy’s nationally recognized “School-Kitchen-Garden” program includes a working kitchen and chef, garden education embedded in the school curriculum and a kid-tended school garden, which provides some of the produce for school meals. Abernethy’s kitchen is also Portland Public Schools demonstration kitchen and features wholesome, often locally sourced meals made from scratch on site—a rarity in American schools today.

“The Abernethy School Kitchen Garden program is all about fostering volunteerism in our community and getting healthy foods in school. It’s a perfect match for this new program, and we’re excited to help involve students in the stewardship of the school’s organic garden and landscape,” said Chris Enlow, KEEN’s Care and Community Manager.

“Our program relies entirely on donations and funding raised by our community. KEEN’s generous donation will help ensure that we have the funding to continuing building our program next year and help to start and strengthen other school gardens in Portland,” said Sarah Sullivan, Garden program coordinator.

Abernethy’s School Kitchen Garden program and KEEN are soliciting matching funds for the grant to go towards supporting the garden program for next year, including developing benchmark-standard targeted garden curriculum and healthy recipes to share with schools district wide.