Programs

What We Do:  Americans are becoming more aware of the social, economic, and environmental impact of the food choices we make every day.  Based on Slow Food’s belief that food can bring people together to create lasting change, our national and Charleston programs work to educate through school initiatives, to promote local and regional foods, to safeguard biodiversity, and to connect people around the region with their food and those who grow it.

The Charleston Red Slow Food Youth Community Action Club (YCAC)  recently completed an exciting project for the premier of the documentary film “Truck Farm”, one of a series of films presented by Slow Food Charleston and sponsored by Whole Foods Market.  Using a donated truck, soil and seedlings, YCAC members planted a truck farm on September 17, 2011.  Beginning October 12, the truck farm, together with chefs from Whole Foods Market, journeyed to eight local elementary schools to talk about what was growing and to prepare recipes using ingredients being grown on the truck.   The YCAC created a documentary short of their experience showcasing the creation and community service application of a local truck garden and presented their film at the screening of “Truck Farm” on October 27.

Culinary Training for Charleston and Dorchester County School Foodservice Workers
This culinary course, first ever, was funded by the Charleston Tri-County chapter of Eat Smart, Move More and Slow Food Charleston, and taught by Chef Michael Carmel of the Culinary Institute of Charleston at Trident Technical College who designed the program and donated his time.   The purpose was to develop an overall awareness among school foodservice staff of how to cook healthy food for public school children using better cooking methods, ingredients, and to integrate this food into the schools’ meal programs. Sixteen foodservice staff were selected from eleven different schools for this initial training.