YOUTH GROWING TOGETHER
Where young people grow food, skills, and a sense of belonging.
Kids grow strong when they’re rooted in their community.
Many young people in our region feel disconnected from the land, from their food, and from each other. At Working Food, we offer programs where kids can learn, explore, and grow together, building confidence, curiosity, and a sense of belonging along the way.
We envision a strongly connected community that has the skills and confidence to support a healthy local food web.
Get involved
Support youth learning and growth! Enroll your child in summer camps or Garden Tots, apply for our internship or apprenticeship programs, or spark curiosity with our take-home activity kits.
Even though we live in a region full of natural beauty, many kids don’t get regular access to outdoor spaces.
Only 10% of Florida youth spend time outdoors daily. Without safe, welcoming places to explore, kids miss out on hands-on learning that supports their growth. Screens and schedules crowd out time for nature. The questions of where food comes from and what best nourishes us can be complex for young people, leading to a sense of powerlessness and overwhelm. On top of this, growing up in today’s digital world has our youth feeling more anxious, isolated, and withdrawn than ever.
Youth Growing Together helps fix that by bringing youth together to learn, grow, and engage in the local food web. By growing, sharing, and preparing food, youth reconnect with the land and their communities. This is a window to help youth see their role in a larger ecosystem and grow a future rooted in care and real-life connection.
We bring kids into gardens to build skills, friendships, and confidence.
From preschoolers to teens, young people explore the natural world and their place in it. In our classes we see kids connect across differences, build friendships and experience the connective power of food.
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Free, weekly classes on growing food, saving seeds, and cooking with fresh ingredients
High-quality, in-garden instruction with a 1:5 student-teacher ratio
Camps, field trips, and activity kits for fun, outdoor learning
Lessons plans for gardening, food preservation, herbalism, and soil health
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Paid internships for teens
Mentorship and job readiness for young adults
Internships and paid apprenticeships for college students
Opportunities to teach and lead within their communities
Our Impact
During the 2024 -2025 school year:
110+ students participated in free weekly garden education at partnering after-school programs and childcare centers.
375 youth attended garden workshops, field trips, and seasonal camps.
4 teen interns co-led garden and cooking classes for younger students, becoming models in their own communities.
More than 230 hours of classes were taught throughout the school year.
Youth expressed high satisfaction with classes, have a higher willingness to taste new fresh foods, and show consistent enthusiasm to return and take on positions of greater involvement and leadership.
How It Makes a Difference
Young people leave Youth Growing Together programs with:
A greater understanding of their role in the larger food web
A deeper connection to nature and their community
The ability to grow and cook food for themselves and their families
A growing sense of agency and self-reliance
Lasting friendships and mentorships
A new perspective on what’s possible—for themselves and for our food future
The next generation will love and protect local food for all of us. They are the future leaders of their communities.
Want to get involved?
Want to get involved?
Explore our other initiatives
Local Food Connection
We work in partnership with farmers and the community to make fresh, local food easier to find, afford, and enjoy.
Giving Gardens
We cultivate an urban farm and many gardens that provide seeds, food, community gathering space, living classrooms, and homes for wildlife.