Catholic Charities is proud to announce its Mr. Gaines Gardening PLUS Program, formerly known as the Mr. Rogers Summer Gardening Program, has received a $60,000 grant, with a $40,000 match possibility, from the Ruth Mott Foundation to expand its work in the North End of Flint. The total $1,292,450 in grant funding awarded to local organizations will go toward 10 programs that represent four priority areas chosen during an intensive community engagement process initiated in 2015, as part of the foundation’s commitment to let north Flint residents drive its grant-making strategy. The Ruth Mott Foundation believes that focusing on a defined area with significant challenges – and engaging the residents in that area to help determine solutions – will result in a greater positive impact.The Mr. Gaines Gardening Program, which underwent a name change this year to celebrate 25 years of hard work and dedication from Program Coordinator Greg Gaines, provides summer jobs, mentoring and teaches agriculture to Flint’s at-risk youth. Participants learn job skills, teamwork, and work ethic while planting, growing, harvesting and selling produce grown in the Flint area. In addition, the youth gardeners make fresh produce available to area seniors, who are on a fixed budget and are often unable to afford fresh foods. As in years past, youth also will have opportunities to learn about landscaping and will serve at Applewood, Flint Children’s Museum and other sites along the I-69 Corridor.
“Our goal is to teach kids skills that they can use the rest of their lives. We aren’t just cultivating vegetables here, we are cultivating the next generation to be productive members of our community,” says Greg Gaines, the program coordinator.
A culinary and nutrition training component was added in recent years, with a chef teaching youth about nutrition and food safety, cooking and baking techniques, grocery shopping on a budget and how to plan healthy meals. In 2016, this program component will be enhanced as families face the ill effects of the Flint water crisis. Other additions to the program include two new gardens in North Flint and other supports, such as budgeting and finance. Currently, sponsors are needed to help sustain the Mr. Gaines Program, to allow for the Ruth Mott match of $40,000 to be awarded.
Catholic Charities’ Mr. Gaines Gardening Program has been serving Genesee County youth since 1989, starting with young men who were at risk for academic failure. Today, the program includes young women, too. To learn more about the programming and youth opportunities, please contact Greg Gaines at 810.232.9950 ext. 379. To learn more about making a contribution or becoming a program sponsor, please contact Shelia Shegos at 810. 232.9950 ext. 222.
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