Eden’s Rose Foundation Receives $500,000 USDA Farm to School Grant to Connect Albany Students with Local Food, Urban Farming, and Economic Opportunity
Today, Eden’s Rose Foundation (ERF) announced its selection as a Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grantee by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This $500,000 federal grant will support Farms Feeding Futures: Growing Urban Farms, Fair Food Systems, and Student Opportunity, an initiative designed to strengthen connections between local farmers and school nutrition programs while expanding hands-on agricultural education and economic opportunities for Albany residents.
“Growing food is about much more than putting vegetables on a plate. It’s about creating opportunities for people to develop skills, earn a living, and take an active role in shaping the future of their neighborhoods,” said Melissa Milton, Executive Director of Eden’s Rose Foundation. “Through this grant, we have an opportunity to connect the work happening in Albany’s urban gardens with the next generation of students. We want young people to understand where their food comes from, recognize the value of local agriculture, and see that farming can be a meaningful pathway toward economic independence and stronger communities.”
“This year’s grants are a win-win for schools and children, for farmers and real food,” said Deputy Under Secretary for USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Patrick A. Penn. “Our Nation’s farmers, ranchers and producers grow the safest, most abundant and affordable food in the world, and now more children will get to experience the benefits of that bounty. USDA is fully committed to supporting healthy choices, healthy families, and healthy outcomes through farm to school, and I can’t wait to see the life-changing impact these new projects will have on communities across America.”
Eden’s Rose Foundation will use the funding to expand its Albany Victory Gardens (AVG) initiative, connecting urban and regional growers with Albany City School District’s Child Nutrition Programs and creating opportunities for students to experience local agriculture firsthand. Project activities will include agricultural education, student field trips to urban farms, school gardening opportunities, fresh produce taste tests, and efforts to increase the availability of locally grown foods in school meals.
The project will also strengthen ERF’s Urban Farmer Training Program, helping Albany residents develop agricultural, food safety, and business skills while exploring opportunities to sell locally grown produce to institutional buyers. Working with community partners, including Grateful Villages and the West Hill Farmers Market, ERF aims to build stronger connections between neighborhood growers, schools, and the local food economy.
A central goal of Farms Feeding Futures is to demonstrate that urban agriculture can serve multiple purposes: improving access to nutritious food, providing meaningful educational experiences, creating pathways to employment and entrepreneurship, and transforming underutilized urban land into productive community assets.
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program connects farmers to children by incorporating local foods into school meals, summer meals, and child care settings. In school year 2022–23, more than two-thirds of students in America attended schools participating in farm to school activities, such as local procurement, agricultural education and gardening, and local food promotion.
Follow the progress of Farms Feeding Futures and learn more about Eden’s Rose Foundation’s community initiatives by visiting www.facebook.com/EdensRose.
Since fiscal year 2013, USDA has supported farm to school initiatives across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, helping schools and communities build stronger connections with local agriculture. Learn more about the Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program on the USDA program website.
Inciting Change, Inspiring Hope, Empowering Sustainability
ERF’s Mission Vision
We believe every person deserves the chance to thrive.
Eden’s Rose Foundation works to close the gap in resource equity by giving underserved communities the tools, support, and opportunities they need to achieve self-sufficiency and sustainable growth.
Our focus is clear:
- Nutritional Food Access – ensuring healthy, fresh food for all
- Youth Development – fostering leadership, skills, and confidence
- Environmental Education – teaching the value of our planet and how to protect it
- Economic Opportunity – creating pathways to lasting stability
Through collaboration, advocacy, and innovative solutions, we build inclusive communities where everyone has access to what they need—not just to survive, but to flourish. Together, we can create a more equitable, sustainable, and just world.