Giving Compass' Take:

• Dani Nierenberg interviews food educators about how they are maintaining their commitment to their students in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• As the pandemic wears on and we settle into a new normal, what role can you play in supporting the shift of food education in response? 

• Read about connecting kids to healthy food during COVID-19. 

When COVID-19 forced New York City schools to close, Stephen Ritz found new ways to support the wellness of his students and the community.

Ritz is a South Bronx educator and founder of Green Bronx Machine, a nonprofit organization that strives to support healthier eating habits and communities through hands-on garden education.

And while COVID-19 forced him to physically distance from his students, he committed to serving them however he could.

In May, Ritz says that he and his wife began dropping bags of groceries at his students’ houses so they could cook and share healthy meals with one another.

That same month, Green Bronx Machine also planted the largest organic soil farm in the Bronx. A month later volunteers harvested and packed the produce and delivered boxes of fruits and vegetables to families in the borough.

Ritz is not alone in his commitment to his students. Educators around the country are working to deliver nutritious food to young people while helping them develop their palates and awareness of the food system.

Read the full article about the efforts of food educators with Dani Nierenberg, Stephen Ritz, Tony Hillery, Mara Fleishman, and Alice Waters at Food Tank.