Blue Watermelon Project

Blue Watermelon Project is hiring! We are looking for passionate, organized and collaborative individuals to join our program staff.  Our two open positions--Head of Programs and Project Manager-- will be responsible for program expansion and evaluation at BWP, leveraging past lessons learned and incorporating innovation in the program structure, curriculum, partnerships, and delivery. Please visit https://lnkd.in/grYpQYax to apply ASAP!!!

Come work with us! 🎉

We LOVE helping Arizona students gain access to healthier, more diverse food options through garden-based culinary activities! Blue Watermelon Project has established partnerships with over 30 schools spanning Arizona. We cannot do this work in this community that donates, volunteers, help to share about our schools and the people the school professionals that serve students everyday. Join us for Blue Watermelon Project’s annual spring fundraiser on Saturday, April 27 6pm-9pm @fnbrestaurant! This event is designed to build awareness for the Blue Watermelon Project through the invitation that comes with sharing a meal with others. Guests will be welcomed to learn more about Blue Watermelon Project's impact simply by enjoying the story told with each course. The program will emphasize impact through stories shared by Chefs, farmers, students, board members, school professionals, and donors while transparently speaking to the costs associated with maintaining and expanding Blue Watermelon Project's reach across programs and geographic services areas. General admission tickets start at $250, and tables are also available for purchase. Hungry for more? Learn more at BlueWatermelonProject.org! Tickets are available with the link below- https://lnkd.in/eHM376mY 📸 @jillmcnamara_photo 🎥 @digitalsunriseaz #chefinthegardenaz #abettertrayeveryday #arizonagrown

We LOVE helping Arizona students gain access to healthier, more diverse food options through garden-based culinary activities! Blue Watermelon Project has established partnerships with over 30 schools spanning Arizona. We cannot do this work in this community that donates, volunteers, help to share about our schools and the people the school professionals that serve students everyday. Join us for Blue Watermelon Project’s annual spring fundraiser on Saturday, April 27 6pm-9pm @fnbrestaurant! This event is designed to build awareness for the Blue Watermelon Project through the invitation that comes with sharing a meal with others. Guests will be welcomed to learn more about Blue Watermelon Project's impact simply by enjoying the story told with each course. The program will emphasize impact through stories shared by Chefs, farmers, students, board members, school professionals, and donors while transparently speaking to the costs associated with maintaining and expanding Blue Watermelon Project's reach across programs and geographic services areas. General admission tickets start at $250, and tables are also available for purchase. Hungry for more? Learn more at BlueWatermelonProject.org! Tickets are available with the link below- https://lnkd.in/eHM376mY 📸 @jillmcnamara_photo 🎥 @digitalsunriseaz #chefinthegardenaz #abettertrayeveryday #arizonagrown

Welcoming spring in the best way- with a school garden unveiling! Congratulations to Cheatham Elementary on their beautiful new garden. The event included a Blue Watermelon Project Chef in the Garden experience where little learners planted corn, prepared and enjoyed calabacitas tacos, and celebrated with a ladybug garden release. I’m thrilled to see more gardens in schools- what incredible learning opportunities they provide!

A few years ago, Amber Skalsky reached out to see if I would provide some coaching and consulting support to a start-up nonprofit leader. As soon as I met Charleen Badman, I could feel her genuine passion for cooking, teaching, and mentoring. Charleen is the chef/co-owner of FnB in #Scottsdale AZ with over 35 years of experience (named best chef in the SW in 2019 by the The James Beard Foundation) and founder of Blue Watermelon Project - an organization that works in classrooms, cafeterias, school gardens, and community settings to help students and schools rethink their relationship with food (https://lnkd.in/eFE8BVim). With support from Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, The Steele Foundation, and so many passionate donors and volunteers, Charleen and the board are searching for their first Executive Director. 👉🏾 If you know someone in the AZ area that has solid #nonprofit/organizational leadership skills and a track record of building and sustaining relationships with donors, volunteers, and community partners, please share this exciting opportunity (https://lnkd.in/eufT4aPN) with them. Blue Watermelon Project is eager to engage an entrepreneurial, results-driven, and selfless leader that values relationships, mobilizes resources, and strategically advances a mission. #CSR #socialimpact #foodservices #culinaryarts #education #schoolgardens

Day 1 of the Growing School Gardens Summit. We are excited to see the positive impact in our communities! 🪴🌱🥕 #Gardening #Education #CommunityBuilding #SproutsHealthyCommunitiesFoundation . . . A few familiar faces in attendance: Jack Sinclair, Dustin Hamilton, Lyndsey Waugh, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Brandon Lombardi, Blue Watermelon Project

It is with great excitement and celebration that our founder, Charleen Badman and our board of directors announce the search for Blue Watermelon Project's new Executive Director. We’re seeking an established and charismatic leader who directly understands first hand the critical role that food education and hands-on experiences play. The Executive Director at BWP reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the organization’s development, marketing, programs, and operations. Leading the staff and volunteer network, the Executive Director builds and maintains relationships with key partners including schools, chefs, and donors. They also are accountable for further developing and implementing the organization’s strategic priorities and ensuring that long-term growth, sustainability, and impact are met. Apply with the link below. Friends, please help us find the best candidate to help Blue Watermelon Project grow into the next phase of program reach. This position will remain open until filled with an application cap at 50 submissions. Please visit www bluewatermelonproject.org for additional information. https://lnkd.in/grYpQYax

"Badman’s magic is the essence of her nonprofit Blue Watermelon Project (BWP), which links professional chefs with children in schools across Arizona to cultivate healthier eating habits. From garden-to-table cooking lessons to culinary contests, BWP’s goal is to involve kids of all backgrounds in the cooking process and to expand their palates along the way." Read the full PHOENIX Magazine article now at https://lnkd.in/grefNWYV

ASU Preparatory Academy Phoenix is excited to announce our partnership with Blue Watermelon Project, an organization committed to increasing access to fresh food and integrating food education for students and their schools. https://lnkd.in/ekdbbvey