Garden to Table - San Jose
BSP Hosts Learning Day at Garden to Table, San Jose
Building Skills Partnership (BSP) had the privilege of organizing an educational family field trip to Garden to Table, a San Jose-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting food justice and sustainable living through urban agriculture.
This event brought together 11 BSP members and their families for an immersive experience centered on environmental education, food systems, and intergenerational learning. Participants engaged in a variety of structured, hands-on activities including seed saving, composting, vegetable planting, and harvesting. A particularly meaningful aspect of the day was the interaction with the site’s resident chickens, which provided a joyful and tactile connection to the natural world.
What set this event apart was its ability to foster family engagement through shared learning. Parents and children collaborated side by side throughout the day, deepening not only their understanding of sustainable practices but also their familial bonds. As BSP participant Marcela Guerrero reflected:
“I just want to say how thankful we are for this opportunity. I can't remember the last time we did something together as a family like this. I felt like a kid along with my kids—learning, laughing, and feeding the chickens. Definitely a memorable experience for me.”
This initiative was made possible thanks to the generous support of Applied Materials, whose investment allowed BSP to provide a high-quality, culturally responsive learning experience that aligned with our mission of empowering low-wage workers and their families. By supporting programs like these, Applied Materials is helping to build stronger, healthier communities and address critical gaps in access to educational resources.
This event is part of BSP’s broader effort to advance whole-family learning models and increase access to programs that support both academic and social development. As we continue to grow our capacity and partnerships, we remain committed to delivering meaningful experiences that uplift our communities and build pathways to long-term well-being.
We look forward to expanding opportunities like this in the months ahead and invite our funding partners to join us in scaling this impactful work.