A child can learn a lot from growing a vegetable and then cooking with it. In Chelsea, La Colaborativa is using that hands-on approach to teach young people about food, and the work has earned national recognition.

La Colaborativa is one of 14 recipients of the 2026 Food Justice for Kids Prize, a national award supporting projects that help young people learn about nutritious food and connect with food traditions.

La Colaborativa announced the honor on October 19, highlighting programs that combine growing food, cooking and nutrition education with support for local families.

From growing food to preparing a meal

Through its Freight Farm and Teaching Kitchen, La Colaborativa says children can follow food from growing and harvesting to preparing a meal. Its pantry and Puente a la Salud clinic also help families access nutritious foods that fit their cultures and traditions.

Its programs also include a pantry and the Puente a la Salud clinic, which the nonprofit describes as part of its efforts to improve access to nutritious, culturally familiar food.

In its announcement of the award, the organization emphasized that nutrition education works best when young people can participate directly, rather than simply hearing instructions about what to eat.

A cooking lesson can introduce measurements, planning and teamwork. Growing food can help make fresh ingredients more familiar. For families, culturally relevant choices also recognize the foods they already know and enjoy.

Why the national prize matters

The Hunger to Health Collaboratory's award announcement names 14 recipients of the 2026 prize. The overall program offers up to $1.4 million in grant funding, with individual recipients eligible for up to $100,000 over two years.

The $1.4 million is the combined national funding pool, not Chelsea's award. Organizers say each of the 14 recipients can receive up to $100,000 over two years. La Colaborativa's exact individual award has not been announced.

The prize has supporters including Newman's Own Foundation, Humanitix, the Henry P. Kendall Foundation and the Hunger to Health Collaboratory.

It recognizes a range of efforts, from school nutrition and food education to projects involving Indigenous food traditions. La Colaborativa is listed among the recipients focused on nutrition education and school food.

A wider network of ideas

Organizers say more than 1,000 organizations applied. The 14 recipients represent different regions and approaches, ranging from community food education to efforts involving school meals and Indigenous food traditions.

Recipients are expected to be recognized at the Hunger to Health Collaboratory's Boston summit in November. The organizations will also have opportunities to learn from one another through virtual sessions and meetings.

The prize program overview explains that the effort aims to help young people access healthy food, understand nutrition and strengthen relationships with their communities' food traditions.

Those goals can mean different programs in different places. In Chelsea, La Colaborativa is already describing work that joins food production, education and direct household support.

What remains to be confirmed

The award recognizes existing programs; it does not announce a new public class or open registration period. Details about additional activities, schedules and how many children could participate have not been announced.

Families interested in current food or nutrition programs should contact La Colaborativa for program-specific eligibility and availability rather than assuming that every service is accepting new participants.

The award puts a Chelsea organization among a small national group recognized for making food education more practical and accessible. The idea behind its programs is easy to understand: children learn more about nutrition when they can take part in growing and preparing food themselves.