Greetings, food justice and youth leadership friends! Welcome to 2025. May your caffeinated beverages be strong and your network resilient. Below, please find our latest updates. If you have questions, comments, or events you would like to share with our network, please share them to <a href="mailto:<kengledulac@icrweb.org> and I will get them out on our calendar as quickly as possible. While this edition of our newsletter is missing images, please don’t let that keep you from enjoying the wisdom within!
Common Ground High School
Welcome, Victoria! Common Ground students are sure to get a well-rounded and robust education in food justice through your careful and compassionate tutelage. At this point, there is limited activity on school grounds/the urban farm because, of course, it’s winter! Thankfully, farm shares are open for sign-up now! Reach out to <a href="mailto:<farm@commongroundct.org> to learn more. For a mere $30 each week, you can help to support the mission and vision of the school, the education of students, and the sustainability of New Haven’s food systems.
Ebony Horsewomen
In addition to offering the healing power of horses to youth enduring difficulties, Ebony Horsewomen has expanded their sessions to allow adults access to the same health and healing that time with horses can afford. During this wintertime, EHI continues their work with youth and now, adults, in fostering connections between the human and natural world. While their community garden no longer stands (thanks to the hungry woodchucks Hartford’s north end supports), natural connection and animal-supported healing continues to be the bedrock of services.
GROW Windham
The youth and staff at GROW are on winter break right now and contending with the nitty-gritty work of building and supporting community during this challenging season. To support the ever-expanding realm of interests of Willimantic youth, a new program is i development, WIN. This team focuses exclusively on youth organizing, assisting youth in identifying and addressing issues they face in their lives. Their first campaign? Unlock the bathroom! Imagine being forced to delay biological functions for the entire school day simply because locking the doors is easier than offering support! WIN will focus their efforts on this injustice, hopefully opening doors for teens in Windham schools in the near future.
Groundwork Bridgeport
Welcome back, Jessica! Formerly from GVI, Jessica has transitioned to a similar position within the organization that took over the Reservoir Community Farm after GVI disbanded, Groundwork Bridgeport. This group, a chapter of the nationwide Groundwork organization, is doing the good work of leading youth organizing, food-growing efforts, and other powerful work throughout the city of Bridgeport. Currently in winter hiatus, it seems like this crew is focusing on placemaking; ensuring that the spaces we occupy serve us both now and in the future. This work is directly related to our food system and youth leadership work in two distinct ways: first, this work is youth led! Students create proposals to transform the spaces around their neighborhoods into things like third spaces, places where we can exist, safely, without having to engage in support of businesses. Second, this work is related because oftentimes, the space uses proposed in placemaking projects center eating, sharing, and/or growing food. With additional funding, some of the projects these youth develop can be implemented, helping to transform Bridgeport into the city these teens want it to be. Thank you for these opportunities, Groundwork Bridgeport!
Huneebee Project
As we approach the end of the winter down-time, the teens working at Huneebee are focusing on building the next generation of beekeepers in New Haven and Bridgeport. Their Beekeeper in Residence program is opening applications again (to learn more, reach out to alexia@huneebeeproject.com). Looking forward to another year of local flowers, local honey, and stronger opportunities for youth in New Haven!
Institute for Community Research
After 37 years of conducting research in collaboration with community partners to promote justice and equity in a diverse, multiethnic, multicultural world, the Institute for Community Research has announced their plans to close operations by June 30, 2025. To read the announcement from Board President Graciela Quinones-Rodriguez, please see here. To wrap the work of the Alliance before ICR closes, we are focusing on ensuring youth voice in building a CSAPs curriculum for use across the country. If program youth are interested in participating in the development of this curriculum, please have them fill out the form linked here.
Kamora’s Cultural Corner
Food distribution through the KCC mutual aid is aiming to expand to serve Hartford neighbors weekly instead of every other week. This volunteer-run effort rescues food from local grocers and Haven’s Harvest, along with several other necessary items, sharing all with anyone who needs it. For the February Thinking and Doing day, they are bringing up the Poor People’s Army from Philadelphia to speak about their work and focus with locals, hopefully encouraging challenging conversations and expanded thinking, and doing! To learn more, visit the KCC socials here.
Keney Park Sustainability Project
As a part of the winter break, KPSP has been revisiting the past year and sharing images of the youth in our community playing outdoors, as we all should play!
New Britain ROOTS
The ROOTS team is also enjoying the winter break, planning for the spring sessions coming shortly. These sessions are where most of their summer recruitment happens, allowing students access to summer employment and the learning that happens in the greenhouse. This time around, ROOTS is planning on hiring 5-10 youth for their programs. In addition, ROOTS is launching their community fridge program with access to the wisdom of both Fridgeford and Fridge Haven, as well as from the folks at CLiCK. Finally, they are planning a trip for youth to Soul Fire Farm in the fall.
Nonprofit Accountability Group (NAG)
NAG continues to be busy, regardless of the time of year. They continue to coordinate events to connect the community with environmental justice efforts across the state. From electric vehicle incentive programs to addressing housing inequities, NAG has been sharing information and bringing people together at every turn. To sign up for their newsletters and email announcements, please reach out to <a href="mailto:<info@naghartford.org>
Nourish My Soul
2024 has been a challenging year for Nourish, but this year, they are focused on increasing access to curricula for the sections of the population most often left out of the conversation in their area. The online university classes continue to be a powerful way for people to access information about growing and sharing food. Seed and seedling swaps are proving a powerful way to build bridges between neighbors. While some details are still unfolding and although the next couple of years may look different than the past few have, Nourish My Soul will continue to be the source for good food and memories in the Granby area.
Solar Youth
This program continues to plan for summer camp activities.
Summer of Solutions
Not much has come from Sonsharae and the SoS crew, but outreach to them will continue. Their mutual aid efforts and the growing space on Zion St have served to keep many families fed. Here’s hoping we hear from them soon!
Alliance Updates
With the uncertainty of funding procedures for the near future, several federal projects are facing the uncomfortable prospect of having to reconfigure their work. The Alliance is in the same situation. The funding for our work flows from the USDA and is currently under review. This funding helps to offset the costs of paying youth for their wisdom and expertise, so the development of the curriculum to share CSAPs with the nation is on hold for the moment. However, in anticipation of that hold expiring and our work being able to continue, please find the application form to serve as a youth advisor on the curriculum committee here.
CT Youth Food Program Alliance 