Veducation Van

What is the Veducation Van?

The Veducation Van is VGN’s Mobile Classroom, started in 2022 as a new program to engage community members of all ages in the importance of additional fruit and vegetable intake in their daily diets and increase climate resiliency through gardening.

The Veducation Van [A.K.A. The Veducator] is a retrofitted van that has a solar battery powering an induction stove kitchenette, an awning, collapsible tables & benches, customized storage, and educational resources for various workshops. Our goal is to help address the issues of food insecurity and social disparity in our state wherever possible. We service all community members, with a strong focus on subsidized housing and schools where at least 50% of students are eligible for free & reduced lunch.

Check out the photos and video down below to learn more!

Workshop Details

Timing: Workshops tend to run 1.5 hours, but can vary depending on subject matter and group needs. We book dates from mid-April to early November each year.
We are looking to book the majority of events in 2023 on Tuesdays & Thursdays to allow enough time to reset the van in between visits. We can accommodate other days of the week upon request!

Group Size: We can accommodate groups of 15-20 at the van itself. Larger groups can be arranged if you have a space (classroom, pavilion, patio, etc) that can provide seating for all participants.

Pricing: Any site where 50% or more of participants are SNAP/ Free & Reduced lunch recipients and the workshop focus is on nutrition receive our services for free!
If these criteria do not apply to your site, VGN’s workshop fee of $200/ 2 hour block + mileage outside of Chittenden County applies. We will do our best to help you find funding options if your site is unable to pay.

Visit Requests: Visits from the Veducation van can be requested by filling out this google form.

Questions can be directed to cedar (at) gardens.org; and calendar requests to discuss an event at your site via phone or video chat can be sent to Cedar at a time that is not marked busy on their calendar.

Workshop Topics:

Below are some examples of workshop topics we could run for your site. This is not an exhaustive list, and other related topics can also be considered upon request!

  • Nutrition Series:
    • Nutritional Benefits of Seasonal Veggies
    • Eating Healthy on a Budget
    • Cutting through Food Marketing
    • Food Preservation (e.g. canning, pickling, fermenting, or dehydration)
  • Gardening Series:
    • Garden Planning (including seed starting, garden bed construction, vegetable rotation)
    • Composting and Soil Health (including compost bin design / build)
    • Integrated Pest Management

Photos

Calendar

2023 Visit Map

(Green = Visited in 2023)

(Yellow = Visit Date Booked)

(Grey =Visit Date Pending)

Gratitude

The Veducation Van would not be possible without funding provided by these sponsors:

Special thanks to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program)-ED for the generous grant that funds the staff time to run this program, and for their work connecting food insecure families with the resources they need.

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