The Food Project: Youth. Food. Community.

As Alumni you continue to be a valuable part of The Food Project. It is our hope to keep you connected to our work, each other, and the vital issues of our time. Below you will find several ways to stay involved; Read further to learn about TFP's blog & reunions and special events. You can also stay in touch with The Food project and help us improve our programs by emailing alumni@thefoodproject.org or calling 781-259-8621 x26. Be sure to check out pictures from your time at The Food Project and learn about each other in our alumni profiles.

Blog

Take a look at entries in our blog, including tales from the farm, thoughts from our staff and Alumni, commentary on food system-related events, and stories from our greater community. Submit entries about your experience at The Food Project, what you are doing now, ideas on getting connected and good stories about food systems and the community.

Reunions and Special Events

The Food Project holds events throughout the year to get alumni connected to each other and to the vision of the The Food Project. Please look here again soon for announcements on future events. Please feel free to contact our alumni team for more info at alumni@thefoodproject.org or call 781-259-8621 x26.

Alumni Survey

Where are you? What have you been doing? How do you remember your time with us? We want to stay in touch. An incredible number of alumni completed our first survey. Keep an eye out for your next chance to tell us what you think. Or, if you can wait, send us an email.

Summer Youth Program Yearbooks

Click on the links below to see images from past Summer Youth Programs. Help us recruit the next generation of TFP youth by talking it up with young people and sending them to our website for more information.

How to Stay Involved

• Do we have your up-to-date email and home address? Click here to email us with a personal update. Where are you living, working, or going to school? What have you been doing since your TFP summer? We would love to know what you have been up to and stay in contact with you.
• Volunteer to work on the land individually or on a D.I.R.T. Crew Saturday. Sign up your college, office, church or other organization to volunteer as a group. Stay connected to the land and help take care of it. Contact our Serve & Grow team by email (participate@thefoodproject.org) or phone 781-259-8621 X30.
• Come and speak about your college experience and/or career path for our intern group. For more information contact Alumni Coordinator at alumni@thefoodproject.org or 781-259-8621 X29.
• Submit an entry for The Food Project Blog.
• Attend Alumni reunions and special events.

Alumni Profile - Jahera Otieno

For Jahera Otieno, an alum who grew up in Jamaica Plain, The Food Project was the catalyst that led her to her career in nutrition. Jahera started at TFP in 1994 as an SYP crew worker. She reports that this is where she learned to communicate clearly and effectively. She went on to do another summer of SYP in 1995, DIRT crew in 1996, Assistant Crew Leader in 1996, DIRT crew again in 1997 and Crew Leader in 2000. As well, Jahera has been serving as a Food Project Board member since 2005, helping to guide the organization to new growth and success.

The Food Project gave Jahera a foundation within herself and for her career. After being at TFP Jahera attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where she achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition. She went on to work for John Snow, Inc. where she was employed as the Public Health Project Coordinator. Currently Jahera works for Brigham and Women's Hospital as a Hospital Administrator where she guides the organization through it¹s present and plans for it¹s future. Jahera's many years of participation at The Food Project has guided her to where she is today. She feels strongly that through TFP she was helping to make a difference in the lives of others as well as developing personally. She also made some really wonderful and close friends, with whom she had the pleasure of sharing her experience of growth into young adulthood and leadership.

Pat Gray stated that, "It has been terrific to see her grow throughout all these years with us and it is wonderful to see her leadership and contribution as a board member."

Please contact us and let us know what you have been doing since your involvement with The Food Project.