Second Chance Urban Garden Seeks Community Support to Deliver Produce to Those in Need

Local nonprofit Second Chance operates two urban gardens and seeks community support to distribute and deliver the garden’s vegetables to those who need it most.

The urban gardens are typically part of the Second Chance Youth Garden program which is designed to divert youth away from the justice system. While the program is suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Second Chance seeks to find a new use for the bounty of produce in the gardens, providing much-needed boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables to community members who cannot afford to purchase produce at this time.

Recognizing that fresh produce is a community need, Second Chance Youth Garden program has suspended youth employment but staff are working tirelessly to distribute and deliver the garden’s vegetables to those who need it most. Second Chance needs assistance in supporting the dedicated staff who are providing access to fresh produce in the community.

Before the program was suspended, the Second Chance Youth Garden served young people ages 14-21 as they gain hands-on experience with urban agriculture. The program combines classroom and experiential learning as youth participate in healthy cooking classes, job readiness/development training and youth development workshops. During the six-week garden-based training program, youth seed, cultivate, transplant and harvest the fruits of their labor, while learning about composting, soil fertility, irrigation, and plant anatomy. The nonprofit looks forward to resuming this program after the COVID-19 crisis has resolved.

Second Chance seeks donations and volunteers during this time to help ensure that the garden’s produce does not go to waste, and instead is delivered to community members in need.

Donations can be made at: https://www.secondchanceprogram.org/give