Carmel TomatoFest Charities - The Monterey County Farm to School Partnership

Charities Benefiting from the Carmel Tomatofest

Charities - Gary and Kids

The Monterey County Farm to School Partnership

A program to encourage better eating habits and promote an understanding of science and agriculture by linking school garden science programs with school lunchrooms and local farms.

To improve school lunches by using fresh produce from local growers and by implementing healthy food policies.
To build school gardens where children obtain hands-on experience in growing their own vegetables, while learning about botany, ecology, nutrition and biology.
Taking students on field trips to local farms and bringing farmers to classrooms to increase the understanding of the food industry and the importance of sustainable agriculture.
To promote a fully integrated nutritional curriculum that connects experiential learning at the farm and in school gardens to healthy choices throughout life.

The American Institute of Wine & Food "Days of Taste"

"Days of Taste®", developed by The American Institute of Wine & Food, is a discovery-based program for fourth or fifth grade students to learn about food and how it weaves its way through daily life from farm to table. By offering the Days of Taste® program to elementary schools, The AIWF provides its finite resources to the widest cross-section of American children:

To build a food and nutrition vocabulary
To understand that locally grown foods are freshest
To experience and compare tastes
To develop "taste memories"
To provide social food experiences around the table

The Sunset TomatoFest® Scholarship Fund

A new educational scholarship program within The American Academy of Chefs, with the purpose of directing funds to culinary students in financial need. The Sunset TomatoFest Scholarship Fund is administered by The American Academy of Chefs.

The American Academy of Chefs (AAC) is the honor society for members of The American Culinary Federation representing many thousands of professional chefs nationally. In keeping with its mission, the AAC programs promote education to all that choose this profession and support those efforts by passing on the skills, training and expertise of its membership.

Chef & Child Foundation

The voice of the American Culinary Federation in its fight against childhood hunger. They provide grants to non-profit charities, disaster relief for the aid and benefit of children, and nutrition education programs to families.

The Carmel Valley Community Youth Center

Founded in 1957 by a dedicated group of volunteers, The Carmel Valley Community Youth Center was created to provide the community a gathering place for children and families. The Community Center funded through donations and dependent upon volunteers, has become a focal point of community activity centered around a community pool, playground, community park, community stage and picnic areas. It offers families of Carmel Valley a variety of programs, educational classes and recreational opportunities.