The mission of Loveland Youth Gardeners is to cultivate job and life skills, environmental stewardship and service in youth who face barriers to success, by building healthy relationship with people, agriculture and community. * We strive to help young people develop job and life skills that provide the foundation for successful teen and adult lives. * We encourage environmental stewardship by educating participants and the public about natural resources and conservation practices. * We promote active volunteerism through service to the community.

Youth Gardening Program - (May to September) Students grow their own gardens, are taught a gardening curriculum, attend field trips and hear guest speakers, give tours of the garden, operate a road side farm stand and donate pesticide-free produce to low-income residents of the community.

Leaf-Out - (nearly year-round) Students can move to this "next" level program where they further develop job, social & life skills by working in the community/production garden, process/sell produce to local venues, and volunteer in community service projects.

Enterprise Internship - (nearly year-round) Students can apply to move into the Enterprise Internship program where their focus is on developing a product using herbs and/or produce from the gardens, marketing/sales & managing a business.

Branch Out - (Year-round Outreach Program) Branch Out focuses on serving all youth (ages 3-21) in our community. Programming and activities can go "on the road" to serve young people where they learn, live, work, or can be hosted on-site at LYG.

Loveland Plant a Row for the Hungry - Loveland Youth Gardeners initiated Loveland PAR in 2005. To date, the large community network that makes up Loveland PAR has contributed nearly 195,000 lbs. of produce to needy families in our community.

http://www.lovelandyouthgardeners.org