I recently visited the Charles R. Drew Transitional Center in Detroit Public Schools Community District as part of my ongoing photography project for the Michigan Department of Education and the 10 Cents a Meal Program. As a Michigan commercial photographer, I was hired to capture the journey of Michigan grown food from farm to school.
Drew Farm is a two-acre farm at Drew Transition Center, a DPSCD school serving exceptional 18-26 year olds with cognitive and physical impairments. The food grown on Drew Farm is harvested, processed, and delivered to schools in DPSCD.
While I was at Drew Farm, the team was harvesting tomatoes - big, bold, bright, beautiful, tomatoes.
After the corn and tomatoes were brought into the school from the farm, the students helped shuck the corn and the tomatoes were brought into the kitchen to be washed, chopped, and turned into a homemade tomato sauce for the students.
The work being done at Drew Farm is truly inspirational. It is a wonderful example of how farm-to-school programs can provide students with access to fresh, local produce, while also teaching them about agriculture and sustainability.
I am grateful to the Charles R. Drew Transitional Center and the Michigan Department of Education for the opportunity to document this program. I hope that my photography will help to raise awareness of the importance of farm-to-school programs and the positive impact they have on students and communities alike.
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