While many schools and other activities paused during the summer months, our UAS programs were in full momentum. Through valuable partnerships, we provided meaningful opportunities that made a real difference in the lives of our participants. From building confidence and independence to earning their first paycheck and gaining practical skills, these experiences helped our participants grow in ways that will benefit them long after the season ends.
ONE SUMMER CHICAGO
For nearly a decade, Growing Solutions Farm has welcomed a hard-working crew each summer through One Summer Chicago, an employment program for young adults sponsored by the City of Chicago.
This season, participants worked 15 hours a week for 6 weeks while receiving a paycheck for their efforts. These individuals were given the opportunity to spend a productive summer growing, harvesting and packaging food for sale while also gaining critical job-readiness skills.
What makes our participation in this program so unique? It enables us to offer paid employment to young adults with autism and related challenges, a population that historically has low rates of employment. The bonus: it's a real job that can be placed on their resume.
Additionally, many of our participants come from households with incomes at or below the poverty level and can face ongoing food insecurity. Working on the farm enables them to participate in the fruits of their labor by bringing home fresh, nutritious produce to their families every week.
SUMMER AMBASSADORS
UAS continued our Summer Ambassadors program thanks to our partnership with Meridian Health of Illinois and Back of the Yards Neighborhood Council.
Preteen and young teen participants with autism and related challenges were given the opportunity to develop practical skills through hands-on work at the farm – and received some great bonuses at the end. Along with a certificate, each participant harvested their own vegetables to take home and were given $100 for their participation.
Programs like these are vital for our young participants as they provide a safe and supportive environment to build confidence, develop social connections, and pick up a few important skills along the way – like cooking. After receiving a lesson on cooking fried rice with farm vegetables, one young ambassador insisted on using his newly gained abilities to make it again when he got home.
It’s powerful to see the lessons learned on the farm come to life when participants use them in their everyday experiences – and building greater independence along the way.
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