Barn-Raising Spotlight: Rheannon, Summer Youth Staff
How does a 10-acre farm improve the health of local youth?
“Build. Store. Enjoy.”At Project GROWs we are dedicated to inspiring local families to follow healthy lifestyles by providing fresh, nutritious food to the community. We place a special focus on young people by inviting them to the farm and helping them develop an appreciation for where food comes from. By creating a safe space for youth to have fun, learn, and grow, they realize that the farm is not just ours, but theirs, too.I am Rheannon Fultz, a 2019 Youth Staff, and I believe that Project GROWS has a wonderful impact on the community. Each week, I enjoy working at Project GROWS performing general farm maintenance such as seeding, transplanting, weeding, and controlling pests. I harvest and prepare food to be delivered to schools and restaurants and to be picked up by our CSA members. I love to participate and lead groups of children and adults during field trips and Garden Work Parties at the end of each week. My job rewards me every day, whether I am interacting with families or simply putting seeds in the ground.Our staff works closely together to reach as many people as possible. New community members are introduced to us and our mission every week; we encourage them to share our story with others. I see my work promoting the health of local youth when I harvest fresh vegetables to be sent off to schools in the area or when I share a healthy recipe with the Boys & Girls Club, convincing them that vegetables can be delicious, too!In order to touch more people, Project GROWS needs to make advancements. If we were to build a barn, we would be able to maximize our inventory and increase organization so that we can get work completed more quickly and efficiently. Having one spot for the majority of our materials will allow us to dedicate more room for food production and visitor interaction!We’ve seen the ways that our work directly impacts youth, and we invite you to join with us! If you would like to support us consider pledging to our Barn-Raising Campaign today!Rheannon Fultz, Summer Youth Staff