CONTACT: Leigh Duffy, Executive Director
Email: clickwillimantic@gmail.com
Phone: 860-876-7907
PRESS RELEASE:
D.R.IV.E. CLICK NEEDS A VAN FOR THE KIDS!
A campaign has been launched to raise funds for a 15-passenger van and will run until December 31st. CLiCK, Willimantic’s urban farm and education center, needs to raise a total of $25,000, which will be matched by Sustainable CT dollar for dollar. In addition, the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation will match $12,500 of $25,000 for this initiative, turning every dollar donated into $4.00! People can donate by going to this link: https://ioby.org/project/drive-click or IOBY.ORG and search D.R.I.V.E. CLiCK. The passenger hybrid van will be used to transport local elementary, middle and high school students to CLiCK to further their education in nutrition, gardening and food entrepreneurship. Classes will be taught at CLiCK, utilizing the full facility, including its commercial kitchen, teaching kitchen and garden and orchards. CLiCK has been unable to secure a bus stop at its location on Club Road and cost of transportation through the schools is high. Securing its own van would allow for program scheduling that meets the needs of the students and will provide an additional employment opportunity at CLiCK.
CLiCK is expanding its Education Program to include a Young Entrepreneurialism Program (YEP) around the CLiCK mission of Grow, Cook, Share. YEP will engage local middle and high school students in creating a value-added product that is created, grown, processed, packaged and distributed from CLiCK, creating a connection between students, entrepreneurialism and a healthy local food system.
CLiCK’s teaching kitchen has been funded by several agencies and foundations including the Jeffrey P. Ossen Family Foundation, Connecticut Department of Agriculture and United States Department of Agriculture. Over the past four years improvements to the facility in technology and culinary class equipment and building improvements have been made. CLiCK has an excellent history of engagement with local agencies who support youth: Quinebaug Valley Middle College, EO Smith Depot campus, and youth groups from Eastern Connecticut State University such as Puentes al Fututoro and Cocinar Comunidade.