The mission of the Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education is
to keep Rhode Island’s farms viable, strengthen pride of place and enhance quality of life
by reinforcing the connections between people and agriculture through programs and activities that nurture our young, build public awareness, inspire engagement and cultivate knowledge, values and skills.

What we believe: Rhode Island is a special place. Its farms and fields are a continuing source of new life and activity. The maintenance of agricultural activity produces an essential variety of food, fiber and greenery that sustains RI’s economic vitality, conserves natural and human resources, and preserves its quality of life. Now two, three and even four generations removed from our agrarian past, future generations of Rhode Islanders must receive the inspiration, education and training to keep RI growing.

Description:
The Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education (RICAPE) provides resources and services to farmers, gardeners, agricultural professionals, educators, chefs, and business and community leaders dedicated to promoting Rhode Island’s agriculture and education about it.

We also develop and launch educational programs for children and students to connect them to RI's agricultural heritage and encourage careers in the agricultural and horticultural fields.

And we broadcast our mission and efforts to the public and to decision makers to encourage them to keep our farms in place and in business so that future generations will be able to enjoy them and the many benefits they provide our citizens and visitors to RI.

History:
The Center is the result of a merger between the RI Center for Commercial Agriculture (1995) and the RI Agricultural Education Coalition (2002).

Since 2002, RICAPE has launched Rhode Island FarmWays, a farm site development and destination marketing campaign that provides training and professional development to farmers, and showcases RI's farms as places of significant cultural, historical and ecological value.(See www.rifarmways.org)

In addition RICAPE is about to launch Campaign 2010-The Children's Garden Network with the goal of assisting the placement of gardens in every school in RI by the year 2010. A Federal appropriation through the office of Rep. Patrick Kennedy has been awarded and will fund the initiative through 2006 and 2007.

And in the Fall of 2006, RICAPE launched "Farm Quest" - year-long learning adventures for children in grades 4-12 that connect students to the local worlds in which they live through interactions with farms and farmers.

Contact people:

Stuart Nunnery, Director, (401) 213-6420, (email) Katrina White, Board Member, (401) 278-9150, (email) Nancy Parker Wilson, Board President, (email)

Address:

PO Box 40940 Providence, RI 02940

Directions:

Volunteer Activities will take place at specific sites or at designated meeting places.

Miscellaneous Information

Handicap accessible?
	No
Interests Served:
	Solutions for Children, Youth, Families
Does your agency accept court-appointed volunteers?
	No