Santa Cruz has proven to be a good place for Field Trip fodder, even though I mainly came to visit my friend and long-time S Cruz resident, Autumn. I arrived here Thursday morning, and decided to search the web for good happenings about town. First, I discovered the Homeless Garden Project. The Project was founded in 1990 with the aim of helping people who are homeless or formerly homeless transition into stable housing and work. The Project serves as a liaison to many systems of help, as well as providing several job training programs. Participants not only learn to garden on their 2.5 acre CSA farm at Natural Bridges, but also help run two businesses: a flower shop and a plant nursery. Through this work, people can gain skills and experience for future job …show more content…
He also said that he plans to get a Master 's in Alternative Energy following his Peace Corps time. I asked him why he thought it was important to participate in community agriculture, and he cited the "dire situation of the Earth." He believes that sometime in our generation, the planet will either go on a trajectory of depopulation, starvation, and desertification or a trajectory of renewing equilibrium. Sam is hopeful for the future because he believes that places like the Homeless Garden Project indicate that "there are people out there thinking these things." It is a "manifestation of the recognition of a problem, and a sincere desire to change the course of history." He believes the Homeless Project does indeed affect real change, but that the scale is not magnificent. "It 's less 'save the world, ' and more small-scale community building." He believes that the program 's main accomplishment is that it has significantly changed specific people 's lives by giving them activities that make their lives more meaningful as well as preparing them for a job. I agree that work that someone can feel ownership of and be proud of is the most important economic requirement we can hope for in this