The Kids Garden Program

The Kids Garden Program works with children of diverse ages (mostly 6 – 13) who are from low-income, multi-stressed homes mostly located in the central hillside neighborhood. It works in collaboration with several other organizations who are working with children to provide gardening and nutrition programming, primarily the Kids Café at the Damiano Center. The Kids Garden Program has a permanent garden site behind the Damiano Center. In the Kids Garden Program, children, with close guidance and assistance, work together on their garden, do art projects, learn about nutrition, eat and learn about healthy snacks, and grow nutritious food, working together as a team. The goals of the Kids Garden Program include

• Promoting general wellness and self-esteem
• Educating children in a fun manner about healthy food and snacks
• Using the garden as a tool to teach good work ethics and community pride
• Providing food for children to take home for their family (depending on location and garden size)