FOCUS ON YOUTH
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Mission Statement
Focus on Youth and our program Seeds of Hope at Sunflower Farms is fostering community health, promoting environmental stewardship, utilizing regenerative agriculture, mitigating climate change, and reducing food insecurity through our urban farm in Southwest Portland. Together with our community partners, neighbors, and volunteers we are continually increasing the amount of healthy produce we grow to alleviate hunger for thousands of homeless youth, low-income families, and seniors. We are nurturing healthy ecosystems and supporting sustainable management of land and water while reducing food insecurity for thousands of our most vulnerable community members. We have profoundly impacted the lives of tens of thousands of at-risk and homeless youth through hands-on environmental education over the past 20 years. Our student volunteers earn credits while participating in habitat restoration, sustainable farming practices and how to grow food.
About This Cause
Focus on Youth and our program Seeds of Hope at Sunflower Farms on 43,000 square feet of land, is reducing food insecurity, fostering community health and promoting regenerative agriculture through our urban farm in Southwest Portland. For the last twenty years, Focus on Youth has made a profound impact on tens of thousands of vulnerable and marginalized youth experiencing homelessness. For the first sixteen years, we worked closely with our most vulnerable youth to provide education services around regenerative agriculture and photography lessons. During the pandemic, we identified an immediate need to pivot and answer the call to our hunger crisis. Together with our non-profit partners and the collective efforts of thousands of volunteers produced a whopping 22,000 meals in 2023 of organic produce plus 3,000 farm fresh eggs for thousands of homeless youth, low-income seniors, and families right here in our community. We believe no child should go hungry, and everyone has a right to fresh, organic, healthy food. Food Insecurity: Food insecurity in Oregon has increased 11.2% since 2020, putting hundreds of thousands more vulnerable people at risk of not having their basic needs met. One of our partners, Neighborhood House Free Food Market in SW Portland, which served around 3,000 clients in 2019, saw a staggering 430% increase in 2023. They recently reported to the Portland Tribune they are now serving over 16,000 clients with two hundred more applying for food each month. In Multnomah County, only 16% of these communities are accessing SNAP benefits. There has never been more at stake to feed our community. Our communities of color, Indigenous and Black people, immigrants and refugees, homeless youth, seniors and single-family households are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. There is a high demand and low accessibility rate for vulnerable populations to receive fresh, organic food. Fresh food is medicine and leads to healthy thriving communities. We envision a future where everyone has sufficient access to fresh nutritious food. We are putting organic produce and farm fresh eggs on the table for the most vulnerable populations who would otherwise go hungry. Health Impacts: At the root of child hunger lies low family incomes, lack of affordable housing, and systemic barriers including racism and discrimination. This can lead to poor academic performance, increased health problems, and developmental differences. Our organic produce and farm fresh eggs are building healthy communities. Community Building + Educational Opportunities: We have a long-standing relationship with SOLVE of Oregon and Positive Charge PDX. In 2023, we enlisted the help of 1,037 volunteers and held more than fifty volunteer events. These amazing volunteers planted, tended, harvested, and delivered thousands of meals to our local food pantries and youth shelters. Ninety percent of these volunteers were school age children that received hands-on learning about regenerative agriculture and wildlife habitat protection directly from the Executive Director. In addition to this amazing educational experience, students are getting school credit for volunteering, and the lifetime benefits of learning where food comes from, how it grows, and how it nourishes them. Volunteering at the farm requires dedication, hard work, and demanding physical labor. In succession planting, once a crop is harvested, there is already another crop being planted from seed in our six greenhouses, providing year-round sustenance. Our volunteers make direct deliveries to Outside In Youth Shelter, and Neighborhood House Free Food Market. We place fresh food in the hands of the people who need it most. At Sunflower Farms, we are nurturing healthy ecosystems and supporting sustainable management of land, water and natural resources while reducing food insecurity for thousands of our most vulnerable community members. Environmental Degradation: We continue to combat climate change, facing increased temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more frequent and severe wildfires. We are nurturing healthy ecosystems and supporting sustainable management of land, water, and natural resources while reducing hunger. Together with our amazing volunteers we have planted 10,000 flowering bulbs and hundreds of native shrubs and trees. We are preventing farm pollution by avoiding the use of pesticides while improving soil health and conserving water, ensuring the environment is not depleted for future generations. Climate change disproportionately affects marginalized communities, including Indigenous peoples, low-income households, and communities of color. Climate change and food insecurity are environmental justice issues related to exposure to pollution and access to clean water and air. Because we have prioritized the restoration of our natural habitats, we are proud partners with Columbia Land Trust and the Portland Audubon Society who have certified us as a Backyard Habitat. Seeds of Hope at Sunflower Farms has been featured in Fieldbook magazine, published by Columbia Land Trust. In conclusion, Seeds of Hope at Sunflower Farms is proving to be an effective and equitable way to feed the community while protecting the environment. There is tangible evidence that regenerative agriculture is helping in the fight against climate change. Together, with our dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers and strong community partners, we are striving to increase the amount of healthy produce we grow and donate to alleviate food insecurity. We are feeding thousands of people who would otherwise go hungry, and we are building a resilient community while restoring the environment. Our team’s hands and hearts are invested in this work, and we express our gratitude for your commitment to our community. We eagerly look forward to collaborating with you.