Community Corner
Pure Farmland Awards $5,000 To Santa Cruz Community Gardens
The donation will help Homeless Garden Project's support of individuals experiencing homelessness and increasing access to produce.
Press release from Pure Farmland:
Oct. 29, 2021
Pure Farmland™ recognized Homeless Garden Project in Santa Cruz, Calif. for its positive impact in the area with a recent donation of $5,000. The contribution is part of the Pure Growth Project, an initiative launched by Pure Farmland in 2020 to ensure community gardens and farms continue to thrive and help increase access to fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables nationwide. Homeless Garden Project was selected as a 2021 grant recipient to support the non-profit’s commitment to providing individuals experiencing homelessness with transitional employment, job training, and support services, while growing food for the community organically on its urban farm.
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After receiving 103 applications from community gardens and farms across 29 states, 55 organizations were carefully selected to receive grants, providing a total of $125,000 in financial support to nurture these unique neighborhood spaces. In the spirit of continued growth, Pure Farmland increased its financial commitment by 25% this year in hopes of positively supporting as many green spaces as possible.
According to the HUD’s 2020 Annual Homeless Assessment Report released in April 2021, the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif. metro area has the highest population-adjusted rate of homelessness - five times the national average - amongst cities with at least 250,000 total residents. Homeless Garden Project has seen these staggering numbers firsthand. Out of the approximately 2,167 homeless individuals living unsheltered, job loss remained the primary cause, and the lack of employment income remains a major obstacle in obtaining permanent housing. However, the lack of job skills, recent work history, and social support networks, combined with low self-esteem, can make it extremely difficult for people experiencing homelessness to enter the workforce.
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Founded originally with the purpose of providing a safe space for people on the street to focus on improving their well-being, Homeless Garden Project has been honed to an effective transitional employment program providing earned wages and support in the pursuit of long-term self-sufficiency. Trainees move through a variety of intensive agricultural skill focus trainings and revenue-producing employment offerings that provide on-the-job experience for up to 12 months. As Santa Cruz’s first and longest running Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, trainees engage with the community by providing healthy organic produce to subscribing community members, the public via a farm stand, and thousands of neighbors who are in need via partnerships with non-profits. On average, more than 90% of graduates obtain stable employment and housing within three months of leaving the program.
Pure Farmland is celebrating the Homeless Garden Project’s exemplary stewardship and response to the need for affordable, nutrient-dense food, fulfilling their mission even during the current public health and economic crisis. In an especially difficult time for those facing adversity, the award of $5,000 will be used to provide wages for trainees’ hours worked and for the supportive staff that help individuals overcome barriers to employment and stability.
“Pure Farmland is proud to bring this opportunity to the Homeless Garden Project so they can continue to uplift the community and act as a pillar of inspiration and strength,” said Michael Merritt, senior director of marketing for Pure Farmland at Smithfield Foods. “Having access to fresh, healthy food shouldn’t be a privilege that only some Americans have. This is a longstanding battle in many urban and rural areas across our nation where residents suffer from lack of access to crucial nutrients. Seeing the impact of the Pure Growth Project grants implemented in these amazing programs only encourages us to keep doing what we can to provide financial relief and spotlight the work of these incredible organizations.”
“Here amongst the flowers and vegetables we replant our own paths in life. We cry, laugh, and work together. We push forward into all we are destined to become because we have been gifted with the time to grow on the farm at Homeless Garden Project,” said Lienallie Azevedo, Homeless Garden Project graduate. “This unique organic 3.5-acre farm offers so much more to its community and trainees. Homeless Garden Project is a symbiotic, viable tool interfacing to assist those at the bottom, with a willingness to work their way back up.”
For more information, please visit puregrowthproject.com.
This press release was produced by Pure Farmland. The views expressed here are the author's own.