Here is a website dedicated to a wonderful project creating a Homeless Garden and offers training !

Check it out!!!!

Mission Statement

The Homeless Garden Project, founded in 1990, provides training and transitional employment- within a community supported organic garden enterprise- to homeless and formerly homeless people in Santa Cruz County.

Our goals are to:

• Offer a supportive, meaningful work environment that encourages self-esteem, responsibility, and self-sufficiency.
• Integrate homeless people and our community in the security and beauty of a productive garden
• Put into practice the principles of economic and ecological sustainability

Click here to Meet Our Team!

Who We Serve

The Homeless Garden Project serves approximately forty to fifty people a year in Santa Cruz county who:

• Are homeless, formerly homeless, or very low income
• Have experienced barriers to employment
• Wish to manintain a stable productive place in society

Our Programs

The HGP offers 2-3 year training programs; the Women's Organic Flower Enterprise and the Natural Bridges Farm Program.

Both of our programs, provides men and women an opportunity to learn work and life skills while earning a wage, and providing the community with wholesome organic vegetables and flowers through sustainable agricultural practices. The trainees of WOFE learn horticulture skills out at the Farm, artistic design skills in our workshop, and retail sales skills in our store. The trainees in the NBF Program learn horticultural skills, assist with the CSA program, and learn retail skills in our store.

All Project trainees work with staff as they progress toward personal and work goals. Weekly classes are offered on horticulture and business skills, making personal budgets, journal writing, business skills and career counseling. Trainees are also connected with appropriate resources outside the Project such as; housing, food stamps, free and low cost health services, savings plans, treatment programs, mental health services, job coaching, resume writing and schooling, etc.

Our intent is to create a supportive yet realistic work experience within well run and successful certified organic farm-based enterprise.

 

Click here to Visit our sites!

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