Cultiva! Youth Program
We teach youth entrepreneurship and gardening to teenagers in Boulder County, CO. The teens manage a two-acre organic garden and 11 bee colonies. We teach youth how to grow, harvest, process and sell food from their gardens. The youth teach over 700 children what they have learned.
About You
Section 1: About You
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Growing Gardens
Organization Website
Organization Phone
303-413-7248
Organization Address
3198 Broadway
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
United States
Your idea
Name Your Project
Cultiva! Youth Program
Country your work focuses on
United States
Describe Your Idea
We teach youth entrepreneurship and gardening to teenagers in Boulder County, CO. The teens manage a two-acre organic garden and 11 bee colonies. We teach youth how to grow, harvest, process and sell food from their gardens. The youth teach over 700 children what they have learned.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
We currently host 6 community garden sights in Boulder County where we promote growing your own food as a way to fight poverty, health issues and sustainability. The teens manage a 2-acre organic garden and 14 beehives. Teens learned how to grow, harvest and process food that would normally have been inaccessible to them. We teach over 60 teen each summer how to grow food on a production level, business skills and how to sell at local markets. In addition, the teens install organic gardens at local housing projects, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and homes of low-income individuals. These gardens provide nutritious food for families who would otherwise not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The teens also teach over 1,000 kids each summer about organic gardening and nutrition.
The youth market and sell their fresh produce and bee products at the Farmer’s Market and local retailers and give back to their community by donating a portion of what they grow to those in need and participating in youth implemented community service activities. We consider this program successful when Cultiva! youth acquire healthy lifestyle skills and show increased confidence in their ability to connect to their community as leaders and effect positive change.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
We currently host 6 community garden sights in Boulder County where we promote growing your own food as a way to fight poverty, health issues and sustainability. The teens manage a 2-acre organic garden and 14 beehives. Teens learned how to grow, harvest and process food that would normally have been inaccessible to them. We teach over 60 teen each summer how to grow food on a production level, business skills and how to sell at local markets. In addition, the teens install organic gardens at local housing projects, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and homes of low-income individuals. These gardens provide nutritious food for families who would otherwise not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The teens also teach over 1,000 kids each summer about organic gardening and nutrition.
The youth market and sell their fresh produce and bee products at the Farmer’s Market and local retailers and give back to their community by donating a portion of what they grow to those in need and participating in youth implemented community service activities. We consider this program successful when Cultiva! youth acquire healthy lifestyle skills and show increased confidence in their ability to connect to their community as leaders and effect positive change.
Problem
According to Colorado Physical Activity and Nutritional State Plan 2010 (COPAN), poor nutrition and physical inactivity are the second leading preventable causes of death in both the United States and Colorado. In Boulder, one out of 13 students (7.5%) described their health as being fair or poor. Nutrition has always played an important role in the life of youth because of the impact it can have on growth, development and the ability to learn. Most individuals establish their personal food and exercise habits in their first 10 to 15 years of life. The ability to choose a nutritious diet is not instinctive, but a skill that is learned from experience and their surrounding environment. If we are to reverse these unhealthy trends the time to act is now.
The Cultiva! Youth Project provides space outdoors and extended programming for diverse youth to meet and work together towards common goals and become mentors to younger children. Adults work with youth to create empowering opportunities for education and activities to gain skills to create a healthy lifestyle, practice job skills and give back to their community.
Actions
Goal: Develop healthy lifestyle skills, knowledge of nutrition, food preparation and better physical fitness.
Objective:
10 week summer program for 58 youth 14-18 years old sustainable gardening instruction, participation & community service, including instruction & hands on activities in gardening for additional 200 youth volunteers.
8 Cooking Classes in partnership with SLOW FOOD.
10 week Apprentice program for 11-13 year olds.
6 week Children’s Peace Garden teaching experience.
3 community service field trips
Year round employment for 11 youth leaders holding weekly meetings
Goal: Increase opportunities for youth to interact with diverse people, learn entrepreneurial and job skills.
Objective:
Attend 21 regular Saturday Market
Attend 8 Wednesday Farmers Markets
Provide a total of 40 additional slots for youth to staff the Cultiva Farmer’s Market stand
Beekeeping workshop + 3 hours per week hive maintenance.
Job skills workshop
Results
GRowing Gardens and Cultiva work to increase food security in the region at family and community levels, stamping out hunger and poverty, creating healthier communities and teaching our residents how to live sustainable lifestyles that are closer to the Earth and their food supplies.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year One: Develop our Local Farm Project. Growing Gardens proposes to create the Local Farm Project which will operate from two sites totaling 10 acres, utilizing the EBT SNAP benefits of low income participants to pay for high quality fresh fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis. Having two sites provides greater access for more people. The project will demonstrate sustainable farming practices, provide hands-on experiences and give educational tours to community members and local schools.
Year 2: Secure funding to expand the Local Farm Project.
Year 3: Secure additional resources to continue to expand the Local Farm Project and the Cultiva Youth Project.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
The Cultiva Garden project is always a success. Our greatest challenge every year is to continue outreach to underserved youth. Having enough funding to expand the program continues to be a challenge.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$1000 - 4000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
United States
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
Growing Gardens
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our relationship providing similar services that serve similar target populations is one of enhancing the services that each agency provides to their clients. For instance, they visit our site as part of their programs and take part in curriculum that is designed by Growing Gardens. We in turn take part in their curriculum through field trips to their sites. Those we collaborate with include: I Have a Dream Foundation, YMCA, Attention Homes, Heritage House, the Family Learning Center, Boulder Youth Recreation Program, Project YES, Colorado Youth Program, Slow Food USA, Community Food Share, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, Wilderness Restoration Volunteers and the City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
The 3 most important actions we need to do to grow our initiative is 1) to develop our Local Farm Project, 2) increase the amount of staff and the capacity of our organization and 3) create sustainable funding sources.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Clark, who was raised in Golden and spent time in the Northwest, was originally an artist, but her career was transformed by a fateful encounter with a tiny seedling.
“I think your life can turn on a dime, and my life turned on a tomato,” she says, laughing.
It was over a decade ago when her life changed course. She was working as a glass blower then, and volunteering with Seattle Tilth’s agricultural program.
Her task on that particular afternoon was to plant tomatoes.
“I picked up one of the seedlings and a shock went through me – like a Eureka moment,” she recalls. “Literally, I could feel this wave of electricity go through my whole body and I thought, ‘Oh, so this is what I’m supposed to be doing.’ From that point on my life took a 180.”
When Clark returned to Colorado, she was determined to bring a dose of urban agriculture with her. With 11 acres from Long’s Gardens and five or six partners, Clark founded Growing Gardens in 1999. Today she’s the last of the original founding members, but the nonprofit organization flourishes with eight community gardens and several programs.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
Growing Gardens and Cultiva provide members of our community with the tools to grow food and provide for themselves. The youth teach and mentor younger children about food and nutrition.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Email from Changemakers
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
 | 130 weeks agoDebbie Koh said: Hi Susan: It sounds like you have a great program! I'm wondering about where you get the funding for your program and how ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 130 weeks agoSusan Cabell updated this Competition Entry. |
| 131 weeks agoSusan Cabell submitted this idea. |
