Danbury, CT (April 28, 2025) — United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC) is thrilled to announce the continuation and expansion of its Seedlings to Sprouts initiative in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s CT Grown for CT Kids grant program. Now entering its second year, Seedlings to Sprouts is increasing access to fresh, local produce and nutrition education for young children, families, and child care providers in Danbury and New Milford.
Launched in April 2024 as part of UWCWC’s Cora’s Kids Family Child Care Network, Seedlings to Sprouts’ innovative farm-to-school approach empowers family child care providers with the tools and support needed to create onsite fruit and vegetable gardens. These gardens serve not only as a source of fresh food but as interactive classrooms where children learn to grow, harvest, and appreciate the importance of nutritious eating. The program also connects families served by these providers to nutrition education courses and free, fresh local produce, promoting a holistic and community-wide impact.
“In its first year, Seedlings to Sprouts showed us the power of connecting children to their food and their community,” said Elizabeth Quiñonez, Senior Director of Early Childhood Initiative at UWCWC. “The program is giving young children, their families, and Cora’s Kids providers in Danbury and New Milford a chance to connect with food, farms, and each other to create meaningful learning experiences and share them as a community. With the support of the CT Grown for CT Kids grant, we’re deepening our impact by expanding on-site gardens, offering culturally relevant nutrition education, and partnering with local growers to ensure that every child has access to fresh, local produce.”
In 2024, Seedlings to Sprouts supported six providers with garden beds and 175 providers and families with nutrition education and produce vouchers, impacting an estimated 380 children. In 2025, with renewed funding, the program will establish eight new on-site gardens at provider locations in Danbury and New Milford, serving an additional 60 children. Through one-on-one coaching, providers will integrate developmentally and culturally appropriate nutrition curriculum into their programs, helping children connect with the gardens and develop healthy eating habits.
Key components of the expanded program include:
- One-on-one coaching to help providers incorporate garden-based nutrition lessons into their curriculum.
- Hands-on gardening experiences for children, reinforcing healthy eating habits from an early age.
- 1,200 food boxes with 100% CT Grown produce distributed bi-weekly across 25 locations, serving 150 providers/families over four months.
- Continued partnership with UConn Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), delivering six culturally relevant nutrition and cooking classes to providers and families.
- Onsite child care offered during nutrition classes to remove barriers to participation.
By bridging the gap between child care settings, local agriculture, and family engagement, Seedlings to Sprouts creates a full-circle experience that promotes healthy habits, community resilience, and food security.