The Windham Youth CORE (Cultivating Opportunity, Resources, and Equity) is GROW Windham’s year-round program for high-school-aged youth. In their words: “We are a group of local Willimantic youth between the ages of 14-21 who are working towards making a more just food system for our community. We work as a cooperative, which means we all have equal say in the projects and initiatives we work on. We advocate for ourselves and our community through different projects that we and our community have decided on creating to support one another.”

The Windham Youth CORE (WYC) engages diverse youth with adult mentors and community members, to cultivate fresh, healthy food resources in community gardens and hydroponics systems.The youth then conduct a community needs assessment to identify individuals or groups who would benefit from the produce and distribute it accordingly. The WYC supports the Community Table/Mesa Comunitaria (CT/MC) Foodshare and creates value-added products at CLiCK, Inc, including their own “Frog Fire/Fuego de Rana” Hot Sauce. Through decision-making, project development, and problem-solving, WYC members develop skills and build relationships that prepare them for the future and empower them to advocate for themselves and their community’s well-being. The grant awarded to Grow Windham will allow for the expansion of the WYC from a summer program to a year round program. Youth will gain greater workforce development skills through increased program and training hours along with more continuity between peers and mentors.

 “Veggies and Victories” end-of-summer celebration to highlight Grow Windham’s summer youth program

Below is Jacqueline and her son, Zach who along with Liz had the opportunity to celebrate and see the culmination of the hard work the youth put into their gardens.