Youth Development
Our Vigorous Youth mission is to support MFFC's mission and vision through food access programming, bike education and advocacy, and professional and personal development workshops.
Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition founded the Vigorous Youth group in the fall of 2008 to serve residents from ages 14-21 years old. The program provides leadership and volunteer opportunities to Boston youth in middle school, high school, and college. Vigorous Youth are employed during peak season (July - August, January - April) or provided a stipend during our off season (May - June, September - December).
They focus on their professional and personal development, and learn about their role in improving the physical and food environment in Mattapan.
Mattapan on Wheels
Founded in 2011 by our Vigorous Youth, Mattapan on Wheels is a free, youth-led day of biking that draws neighbors and residents from all over Boston, especially those of color.
The annual event is committed to developing youth leadership through increasing bike access, safety, and visibility of the biking community in Mattapan. Free bike rentals + helmets make it easy for families to discover the joy of biking together. A choice of three routes helps to accommodate people of all ages and comfort levels.
Basic Bike Classes and Repair
Biking is the perfect physical activity option for family friendly activities as well as an alternative form of transportation. But MFFC recognized that there are several barriers preventing Mattapan residents from biking in Mattapan! One includes having a broken bike. Our youth led a 5 week free bike repair workshop showing local residents how to perform basic bike repair!
Along with bike repair, the series covers topics such as street riding, healthy eating, bike safety, what to wear, the anatomy of a bike, ABC Check, and much more. These workshops are geared towards those who want to know the basics when riding and maintaining their bike. In addition to leading the workshops, The Vigorous Youth researched material and created the information taught.
Farm Stand + Gardening
Located in front of the Mattapan Health Center, 1575 Blue Hill Ave, the farm stand is run entirely by the youth. The youth work on their marketing, selling, customer service, cash recording, and product display skills, all while promoting healthy eating. Produce is donated by Brookwood Community Farm in Canton.
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Our youth help maintain the Kennedy Playground Children's Garden by planting seedlings and cleaning out the plot as necessary. Activities are held with families to engage young children + allow them to use their five senses when exploring the garden. The Vigorous Youth also helped establish the Woolson Street Community Garden in response to the violence that took place on Woolson Street in 2010.
Special Projects
Currently, they are working on creating a cookbook! The cookbook features recipes gathered by our youth from ingredients grown by local Mattapan farmers. Using inspiration from home recipes, including Caribbean and Haitian dishes, our youth are in the process of creating a cookbook with dishes that they enjoy. The cookbook will be published later this summer, make sure to get your copy!
