“The care of the Earth is our most ancient, most worthy, and… most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it, and to foster its renewal, is our only hope.”
-Wendell Berry
Local Programs Contribute to Community
The Heller Family Foundation helps create, develop and support local programs that contribute to the vibrant health and wellbeing of the individual, the community and the environment. It is the goal of the Heller Family Foundation that these programs become self-sustaining through community support, sponsoring organizations, and change in public policy.
Cultivating healthy habits that last a lifetime
The L.I.F.E. Garden Program at Lopez Island Schools provides a tool for classroom learning in subjects as diverse as science and math to literacy in grades K-12, supports a healthier school community by growing nutritious, organic produce to serve in the cafeteria, and plants the seeds of health, nutrition and sustainability in our children through outdoor education in the school gardens and a nearby farm.
Nourishing community through shared meals
Inspired by the L.I.F.E. program, Evening Meals at School expands the notion of providing healthy alternatives for our children by offering healthy, organic communal meals to the community at large, while enhancing community interaction and supporting sustainable, local agriculture.
Empowering personal fitness and environmental awareness
The Vita Parcours Lopez Island Fitness and Ecology (L.I.F.E.) Trail, located on the 33-acre school campus, provides free, public access for individuals of all fitness levels with 9 exercise stations and a nature walk that meanders through meadow and deciduous woodlands, creating awareness for many species of birds, native flora and an endangered species of butterfly.
Demonstrating principles of sustainability through farm education
S&S Homestead Farm owners and educators Henning Sehmsdorf and Elizabeth Simpson started Lopez School’s farm-to-school program on their nearby biodynamic demonstration farm and continue to teach food, farm, and sustainability classes to secondary students. The Heller Family Foundation supports S&S Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Homestead Farm by helping to promote its educational opportunities such as apprenticeships, internships, workshops, and farm stays.
Programs
The L.I.F.E. Garden Program teaches K-12 students how to grow and eat organic, healthy food…
Evening Meals at School serve up organic, affordable communal dinners for the whole community…
S&S Homestead Farm demonstrates principles of sustainability and takes a leadership role in educating youth…
The Vita Parcours Lopez Island Fitness and Ecology Trail offers a scenic fitness experience for all abilities and ages…
Local initiatives support cultural diversity, a connected community, and healthy, well-informed individuals…
Collaborating with a local effort to bring clean water to a village in Ethiopia with the Water for Anasi project…