The Vashon Youth and Family Services’ Natural Resiliency Project is aligned with the Garden Club’s mission to promote a life-long interest in gardening and educate students on sustainable gardening and local native flora and fauna. The Natural Resiliency Project is aligned with the Helen Puz Student Benefit program in that it supports environmentally sound horticulture. Through the curriculum we will encourage students to understand the connection between the health of the environment and their own well-being. They’ll receive hands-on instructions in gardening and behavioral health programming that will strengthen their relationship with themselves and the natural processes of gardening, helping things to grow and thrive. 

 

Participants will be students of all ages that will participate in the project who participate in counseling and mental health support. Our resident sustainable farmer is Jene Farr, who is a current intern with plans to become an employee in June/July of this year, 2024. We will happily fill out your project evaluation. We intend for this to be an ongoing project for many years.

 

I’m now able to provide you with a budget breakdown. My apologies for not having that ready by your deadline. We were still gathering estimates and I mistook the cost of wood for the total project cost. We’re still requesting $900 to fund the cost of wood for the initial cost of constructing two raised beds. VYFS will fund the soil, hardware and fencing if needed. Fencing is not ideal in the area that we would like to have the beds. The seeds will be donated by staff and volunteers. Labor and maintenance will be provided by volunteers and staff. The funds for this project will be a separate budget activity to ensure that your support will be spent on this project only.

 

• Wood supplies for 2 beds - $900

• Soil  - $210 ($70/yard)

• Hardware (nuts, bolts, nails) - $100

• Seeds and/or starters  - $75 In-Kind

• Fencing (if needed)  - $400

• Total cost:        $1,685 with fencing, $1,285 without fencing