The Green Garden Bakery (GGB) is a year-round youth program supported by Urban Strategies (Urban) in Heritage Park (HP) neighborhood. Teens involved with our out-of- school and summer programming have started a youth run environmentally sustainable business. The teens piloted their business in 2015 culminating with selling baked goods with vegetables they grew in their garden at local farmer’s markets. In 2016 GGB created a foundation to expand their
business model by incorporating younger youth. These K-8th grade youth participate in STEM, Eco-arts, Environmental Education, and Cooking/Gardening programming that support the growth of GGB. During the summer this programming took place during a 8-week summer program in Sumner Field.
There are approximately 900 youth, most of whom are at-risk youth of color, between the ages of 5 and 18 living in the Heritage Park Neighborhood, and youth under 18 make up 40% of the total population. Studying data on current and past program participants reveals that 96% of all Urban's youth program participants qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch. Urban's greatest expertise is in understanding and translating the specific needs and strengths that unique communities present. In response, for the past 6 years Urban and its partners have offered a successful free hands-on, experiential afterschool and summer enrichment program for K-8 th grade youth. Due to the success of the program they have outgrown their indoor space and so this past summer they offered their summer program outside in Sumner Field. The Green Garden Bakery summer program continues to be a success outdoors with Sumner Field serving as a learning laboratory for the GGB program. Along with our 8 week outdoor summer program for 80 youth, this winter/spring 2017 they would like to also offer an afterschool one day/week GGB environmental education course in Sumner Field for 30 youth.
business model by incorporating younger youth. These K-8th grade youth participate in STEM, Eco-arts, Environmental Education, and Cooking/Gardening programming that support the growth of GGB. During the summer this programming took place during a 8-week summer program in Sumner Field.
There are approximately 900 youth, most of whom are at-risk youth of color, between the ages of 5 and 18 living in the Heritage Park Neighborhood, and youth under 18 make up 40% of the total population. Studying data on current and past program participants reveals that 96% of all Urban's youth program participants qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch. Urban's greatest expertise is in understanding and translating the specific needs and strengths that unique communities present. In response, for the past 6 years Urban and its partners have offered a successful free hands-on, experiential afterschool and summer enrichment program for K-8 th grade youth. Due to the success of the program they have outgrown their indoor space and so this past summer they offered their summer program outside in Sumner Field. The Green Garden Bakery summer program continues to be a success outdoors with Sumner Field serving as a learning laboratory for the GGB program. Along with our 8 week outdoor summer program for 80 youth, this winter/spring 2017 they would like to also offer an afterschool one day/week GGB environmental education course in Sumner Field for 30 youth.