The Cornucopia Project has been awarded a $50,000 grant from T-Mobile Corporation to support the completion of the commercial kitchen project as part of the larger “Farm-to-Table Campus,” which will provide a permanent, accessible hub for hands-on learning in sustainable agriculture, cooking and environmental stewardship.
Cornucopia was selected as one of just 25 recipients of the grant out of nearly 1,000 applicants.
Cornucopia Project founder Kin Schilling, who was present at the grant presentation ceremony Thursday night at the Cornucopia Learning Farmhouse, was taken by surprise at the announcement.
“Thank you, everybody, for what you have done to make this community a better place, and to support learning and knowledge and good food,” Schilling said. “This makes my heart so full, it makes me want to cry.”
Schilling founded Cornucopia Project on a plot of land in Hancock in 2005 after being inspired by the work of California food pioneer Alice Waters. The organization now provides agriculture-based nutrition programs across the Monadnock region and in the ConVal school district.
At the ceremony, Cornucopia Executive Director Lauren Judd said the grant completes the organization’s $1.5 million capital campaign to build the educational commercial kitchen.
“Today we are excited to share a step forward with something many of us care deeply about: thriving children, incredible food and high-quality education,” Judd said. “I’m standing here to highlight the heart of the Cornucopia Project farmhouse, which is our kitchen. I’m drawing attention to this space because it’s about to undergo a massive transformation. It will create a professional culinary training classroom designed especially for high school students.”
The program will train students in culinary arts and hospitality.
“This program will provide students with marketable skills and gain experience in future rewarding careers. At the same time, this space will strengthen our broader food system by enabling collaboration with schools, local farmers and community members. We are grateful to our generous donors who are making this dream come true,” Judd said.
Olivia Clark, Cornucopia’s Education director, said students in the program “love learning, and love learning to cook.”
“Tonight, we are not just building a kitchen. We are feeding a hunger for a healthier and more connected future,” Clark said.
Evan Bacheller, a senior manager for T-Mobile, and retail store manager Courtney Bean presented Cornucopia Project with a “big check” for $50,000.
“Congratulations to everyone here; this is just a super cool project,” Bacheller said. “I think I have learned more about farming and food and community in the past hour than I have learned in the past 10 years.”
New Hampshire organizations have received over $300,000 from T-Mobile Hometown grants since the program started in 2021.
“We’re excited to come back and see the kitchen, to see the garden and to see the kids in action,” Bacheller said. “Our plan is to stay involved.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that the T-Mobile grant completed the funding campaign for Cornucopia’s commercial kitchen project, which is one part of the organization’s larger fundraising campaign.