Homeless Garden Project Moving to Pogonip Farm

Special Event: Natural Bridges Farm, • Shaffer Road off Delaware Avenue • 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18

The Homeless Garden Project, an innovator in transitional employment and sustainable agriculture, today announced it would host a community open house at Natural Bridges Farm to share information about its programs and introduce its new permanent home, Pogonip Farm, on Saturday, August 18.

Event attendees will receive an update about Homeless Garden Project programs. They also will learn about Pogonip Farm, the Homeless Garden Project’s soon-to-be permanent location on nine acres of rolling meadowland within the City of Santa Cruz’s 640-acre Pogonip greenbelt property.

A public benefit for the Santa Cruz community, Pogonip Farm will be the heart of Homeless Garden Project’s dynamic agriculture program which currently distributes more than 6,000 pounds of organically grown produce—grown by HGP trainees—to up to 2,500 Santa Cruz residents who would otherwise not have access to fresh organic food.

The program also engages thousands of community volunteers in education, volunteer and service learning opportunities, and provides job training to homeless men and women. Pogonip Farm will bring a focus on stewardship and sustainable agriculture practices.

“We are thrilled to establish Pogonip Farm, which will continue Homeless Garden Project’s mission to provide training, transitional employment and support services for people experiencing homelessness,” said Darrie Ganzhorn, executive director of Homeless Garden Project. “The new farm will allow us to nearly triple the number of men and women who are able to participate in our program while expanding the crops we can plant and increasing the amount of food we can grow and share with the community.”

Natural Bridges Farm is on Shaffer Road off Delaware Avenue. The open house event will be 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 18, with remarks beginning at 11:15 a.m., followed by a farm tour. The event is free and open to the public.

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) provides job training, transitional employment and support services to people who are experiencing homelessness. HGP’s vibrant education and volunteer program for the broad community blends formal, experiential and service learning. Programs take place in our 3-acre organic farm and related enterprises. In the soil of our urban farm and garden, people find the tools they need to build a home in the world. We envision a thriving and inclusive community, workforce, and local food system.

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Learn more at www.homelessgardenproject.org or engage with us on Facebook and Instagram.