Teens With a Purpose is located in the largest low income housing community in the city. Through funding we have been able to: help feed close to 1400 people throughout the growing season. We piloted our first Horticulture Internship Program called H.I.P. teens in September 2018 and continued through the spring 2019. The internship empowers 12 teens who earns stipends.  These young people live in this community.  They are the perfect role models for the community.  They learned to produce food; gain marketable skills for the growing Green Industry.   The interns work side by side with professionals in horticulture and science, including mentors from Norfolk Botanical Gardens; Virginia Cooperative Extension, college interns from Tidewater Community College, Old Dominion University and EVMS.  Their training consists of plant healthcare including pruning, planting, harvesting; weeding; community clean up with correlating math and science learning.  The interns are currently working to develop a Community Co-op called The Herban Project where they will deliver herbs and veggies to business and individual based upon what is in season.  They are gaining self esteem through this project along with a sense of responsibility.  They have successfully help TWP lead bi-monthly community clean-ups partnering with Keep Norfolk Beautiful.  Recently, interns have built a walking path consisting of fourteen wild flower beds.  The summer garden is already yielding fruit and flowers and veggies that we share with the community.

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