East Boston's Eastie Farm will receive a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to expand its youth Climate Corps program. The program pays young people to train for jobs in urban farming, food distribution, climate resilience, and community organizing.
"We're excited to create a blueprint of a youth-based transition to a green economy, especially in an environmental justice community," Eastie Farm Director Kannan Thiruvengadam said in a statement. "With such a blueprint, more communities can follow suit, and the motivated, hopeful, and competent youth army that emerges may well save our — their — world."
Beginning in February 2024, 40 young people ages 16-22 will be hired to work at Eastie Farm and partner farms and organizations to learn about food and climate justice while also training for jobs in a green economy.
"They're learning how to grow food locally in a food desert. They're helping build a local food system. They're distributing food to people," said Jenny Wechter, Eastie Farm's operations director. "They're also doing advocacy work. Working with legislators, talking to them about the farm bills, what needs to happen based on our understanding of community."
Read more at wbur.org