Youth Development Program participants hard at work (Amahra Leaman, Courtesy of Garden City Harvest)
Each year, Garden City Harvest employs teens from the Missoula area who struggle with significant personal challenges. Garden City's Youth Development Program aims to give these teens the opportunity to work outdoors in a farm environment, teaching them social and life skills, such as teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking. The physical labor also increases their self-confidence, helps them learn how to regulate their own behavior and practice self-care.
Youth Development Program participants enjoying a meal! (Photo Courtesy of Garden City Harvest)
With the assistance of $500 from Adventure Life's community grant program, Garden City Harvest was able to employ five teens for the pilot season of the expansion of the Youth Development Program. These youth participants focused on learning various culinary skills to prepare the food that they helped grow. As a culmination of the program, they planned, prepared and served two community dinners, as well as shared their personal experiences with the guests.
Garden City Harvest's Youth Development Program culminated with a community meal prepared by participants (Photo courtesy of Garden City Harvest)
Next season, based on feedback from the Youth Development Program participants, Garden City Harvest plans to focus on reducing food insecurity, by making healthy food more accessible after the growing season. The program will partner with the Missoula Food Bank to coordinate a "farm to freezer" effort, distributing unsold fruits and vegetables from weekly farmers' markets to food bank clients during the colder months.
Youth Development Program participants receive instruction on food preparation (Photo courtesy of Garden City Harvest)
Adventure Life staff also had the opportunity to volunteer at Garden City Harvest's River Road Farm as part of United Way's Day of Action. Adlifers had a blast pulling weeds and getting a tour of the farm's facilities. Check out some of the photos here!
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
8 hours ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
