From the Ground Up

In 2012 we piloted From the Ground Up in 2 schools with the following goals.

• Promote healthy nutrition environments and encourage Yukoners to eat more locally grown and produced foods.
• Connect Yukon farms to Yukon tables.

Since 2012 it has grown from 2 to 23 schools. In 2016, early learning centres also joined, this year we have 8 that are participating.

We’ve literally grown every year!

This fundraiser:

• runs October to November throughout Yukon communities;
• connects schools and early learning centres with local farmers to sell bundles of Yukon-grown food products;
• proves that it is possible to have a profitable healthy choice fundraiser; and
• supports Yukon farmers.

From the Ground Up offers the opportunity to:

• raise money for schools and early learning centres that receive 40 per cent of the profits;
• promote local food to students, parents, teachers, early learning centres and the community;
• help out our community by purchasing a bundle for donation;
• help everyone feel good about supporting fundraising events, such as field trips and graduations; and
• provide access to recipes and nutrition tips.

Another highlight is that, if they can, each participating farm hosts a class of students. This class gets to hands-on experience where their food comes from. 

New this year for From the Ground Up

Bundles will be sold consisting of grain products from Hinterland Flour Mill. Their local Breakfast & Baking bundle includes Barley Brownie mix (500 g), Yukon Barley Cereal (320 g) and Barley Pancake/waffle mix (400 g).

5 simple steps

Step 1: Sign up

In the spring, all Yukon schools and licensed early learning centres receive an invitation to sign up for From the Ground Up. A list of participating schools and early learning centres is available.

We have a list of other healthy fundraising ideas if you’re a teacher and your school is not participating.

Step 2: Choose a coordinator

Participating schools and early learning centres decide who will be their From the Ground Up coordinator. This coordinator will lead the fundraiser and take part in 2 meetings: 

• 1 in June to begin preparing for their fundraiser; and
• 1 at the end of August to receive everything they need to run a successful program.

Step 3: Begin fundraising!

Participating schools and early learning centres start fundraising. Students visit their neighbourhood to sell bundles door-to-door. Schools and early learning centres also take orders by phone.

If you need more copies of the order form or the customer information sheet, print the following versions:

• School order form
• School customer information sheet
• Early learning centre order form

Step 4: Submit order forms

• The coordinator tallies up the orders.
• The coordinator then emails the orders to the program health.promotion.nutrition@yukon.ca or fax them to 867-456-6502.

Step 5: Delivery day!

For the delivery days, see the schedule for your school or early learning centre. This is when everyone who’s ordered a bundle will come to pick it up.  

Whitehorse schools

Christ the King Elementary – 20 Nisutlin Drive, Riverdale⁠ – 867-667-3527 (November 22 pick up)

Elijah Smith Elementary⁠ – 1399 Hamilton Boulevard, Granger⁠ – 867-667-5992 (November 30 pick up)

Golden Horn Elementary⁠ – Duncan Drive Lot 209, Golden Horn – 867-667-8130 (November 29 pick up)

Hidden Valley Elementary⁠ – 5 MacPherson Drive, Hidden Valley⁠ – 867-667-8164 (November 15 pick up)

Holy Family Elementary⁠ – 55 Wann Road, Porter Creek⁠ – 867-667-3500 (November 28 pick up)

Individual Learning Centre⁠ – Suite 500 4201-4th Avenue, Downtown⁠ – 867-667-8288 (November 30 pick up)

Jack Hulland Elementary⁠ – 1304 Fir Street, Porter Creek⁠ – 867-667-8496 (November 21 pick up)

Selkirk Elementary⁠ – 5 Selkirk Street, Riverdale⁠ – 867-667-3688 (November 23 pick up)

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School⁠ – 16 Duke Road, Riverdale⁠ – 867-667-5901 (November 30 pick up)

École Whitehorse Elementary⁠ – 4181 4th Avenue, Downtown⁠ – 867-667-8083 (November 16 pick up)

Yukon Montessori School⁠ – 867-334-7482 (December 6 pick up)

Two pick up locations: Aurora Classroom, 103-1191 Front Street and Borealis Classroom, 201 Hawkins Street

Rural schools

Chief Zzeh Gittlit School⁠ – Old Crow⁠ – 867-996-3151 (TBD pick up the week of November 26)

Johnson Elementary School⁠ – Watson Lake⁠ – 867-536-7333 (TBD pick up)

Khàtìnas.àxh Community School⁠ – Teslin⁠ – 867-390-2570 (TBD pick up)

Nelnah Bessie John School⁠ – Beaver Creek⁠ – 867-862-7250 (TBD pick up the week of November 19)

St. Elias Community School – Haines Junction – 867-634-2231 (TBD pick up the week of November 19)

Ghùch Tlâ Community School – Carcross – 867-821-2929 line 1 (TBD pick up the week of December 3)

Early learning centres – pick up for Whitehorse-area centres

Downtown Days Childcare Centre – 478 Range Road – 867-667-6776 (December 7 pick up)

Montessori Borealis Preschool – 201 Hawkins Street – 867-668-2268 (December 6 pick up)

Montessori Aurora Preschool – 103-1191 Front Street – 867-456-7100 (December 6 pick up)

Grow with Joy – 2288 2^nd Ave (Quality Inn) – 867-332-818 (December 7 pick up)

La Garderie du Petit Cheval Blanc – 22 Falcon Drive – 867-633-6566 (December 7 pick up)

This year, Hinterland Flour Mill is providing locally grown and milled barley cereal and baking mixes for all participating schools and early learning centres.

Hinterland Flour Mill

For almost a decade the Amiot family have been farming the fertile soils of the Yukon River Valley, just north of Whitehorse. They started their operation as Yukon Valley Farm raising cattle and pigs but shifted to growing crops after recognizing the need for locally grown grain.  Growing grains in the Yukon has its challenges, but through trial-and-error they learned what types and varieties of grain flourishes here, and how to work with Yukon’s long days and short seasons to mature their crop for harvest. 

After their first harvest, the Amiot family started selling grain to the livestock industry, while at the same time they were using the grains in their baking to feed their family. They quickly realized the benefits of Yukon grown grains and started creating products to feed Yukoners. They moved from milling grains on their kitchen counter to opening Yukon’s first flour mill and establishing Hinterland Flour Mill. In the process of milling flour, they started introducing their tried and tested recipes in products such as brownie and pancake mixes to make it easier than ever for Yukoners to eat local.

Their products are being featured at local grocery stores, sold directly at Fireweed Community farmers markets, online and being sold at many small establishments that support local.  Hinterland Flour Mill products are also being used and trumpeted by local bakers.

Parents play an important role in shaping their children’s eating habits. You teach children about nutrition. Teach them why a healthy diet is important and it will help them have healthy eating habits for life. Everyone knows that eating vegetables is good for you. Yet, lots of us struggle when it comes to getting them on our plates.

Have a picky eater?

All young children are more-or-less picky about food. It’s important to know they warm up slowly to unfamiliar foods and may have to watch you eat, touch or taste a food. They put it in their mouths and take it out again 15 or 20 times (or even more) before they learn to like it.

• Say goodbye to picky eating
• Canada’s food guide 

Getting kids to eat more veggies

It can be hard to get your kids to eat vegetables and fruit. You’re not alone! Many children don’t get the amount of vegetables and fruit recommended. There are a few easy tips to get your children to enjoy their vegetables and fruit and meet their needs.

• Help! My kids won’t eat enough vegetable and fruits

Choosing healthy portions

Choosing healthy portions of food can help you reach and stay at a healthy weight. Many people choose portions that are larger than the recommended serving sizes suggested. When this happens too often, your daily intake of calories is too high.

• Half your plate
• Choose healthy food portions

Division of responsibility in feeding

Children develop eating competence step-by-step throughout the growing-up years. This happens when they are fed according to the tasks appropriate for their age.

• Ellyn Satter’s division of responsibility in feeding

Besides being a great fundraiser for your school, From the Ground Up also provides many teaching opportunities. While students are selling and talking about fresh, locally grown food products to family and friends, why not also educate them about:

• healthy food choices; 
• Canada's Food Guide; 
• eating more veggies; 
• local food production and more!

Classroom resources

From the Ground Up has come up with some great classroom resources. They introduce wonderful ideas that incorporate the fundraiser with learning activities.

• From the Ground Up in the Classroom Resource includes lesson plans for kindergarten to Grade 6. They are fun, interactive, and easy to adapt. They focus on the importance of healthy food choices and on eating more vegetables. Each lesson is linked to a Healthy Living Prescribed Learning Outcomes for each grade.
• Nutrition bites with healthy eating messages for school newsletters.
• Veggie jokes that you can use for announcements during your From the Ground Up campaign.

Other ideas for healthy choice fundraisers

Schools can show their commitment to healthy living with a healthy choice fundraiser. Healthy fundraising activities send positive health messages. They can also reinforce nutrition lessons taught at home and in the classroom. They show a school’s commitment to healthy behaviour among students, parents and the community.

Get more ideas and information about healthy choice school fundraisers:

• Healthy choice for school fundraising
• Fundraising the healthy way
• Healthy fundraising for schools

Early learning centres play an important role in shaping and supporting a healthy nutrition environment for children. The first 5 years of a child’s life are critical years for healthy development. They can lay the groundwork of healthy eating habits for life.

In early learning centres, children get to practise healthy eating, just like they do at home. Read on for resources on how to support a healthy nutrition environment at your early learning centre.

Healthy beginnings

The Healthy Eating and Sugar Sweetened Beverages manual is an at-your-fingertips resource for early childhood practitioners. Use the games, guidelines, recipes, tips and tools for an active, healthy environment in your early learning centre.

Healthy snacks

Healthy snacks are as important to a child’s growth and development as healthy meals. Young children have small stomachs and cannot get all the nutrients they need from just 3 regular meals. Older children need snacks to stay alert and energetic throughout the day.

Sample lunch menus

Need some ideas to feed a preschooler? Use these sample meal plans and tips on healthy eating to help you feed a little one.

Besides being a great fundraiser for your early learning centre, From the Ground Up also provides many teaching opportunities. Why not take this opportunity to talk about healthy food choices, Canada’s Food Guide, eating more locally grown food products and local farming.