Homeless Garden Project

Organization Description

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) founded in 1990 provides job training, transitional employment, and support services to people who are homeless.  HGP's vibrant community education and volunteer program for the broad community blends formal, experiential, and service-learning. The programs take place in our 3-acre organic farm and related enterprises.  

Our Mission: In the soil of our urban farm and garden, people find the tools they need to build a home in the world.

Our Vision: We envision a thriving and inclusive community, workforce, and local food system.

We Value: The capacity of every individual for growth and renewal. The joy that comes from growing and sharing healthy food. And the well-being created by vibrant social and natural ecosystems.

Program Information

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP), founded in 1990, provides job training, transitional employment and support services to people experiencing homelessness. In direct complement, HGP operates a thriving community education and volunteer program that serves more than 2500 people each year. HGP's programs take place in a 3.5 acre organic farm and related enterprises. Social Work Interns work with HGP's Connecting with Community program. Social Work Interns work one-on-one with trainees to promote trainees' full participation in our job training and transitional employment programs by addressing needs such as health care, legal issues, transportation and shelter. With Social Work Interns, trainees identify goals that will create and sustain their own well-being. Social Work Interns monitor trainee progress toward goals and support meaningful engagement in accomplishing goals. In addition, Social Work Interns foster trainee progress toward unsubsidized employment as a key long-term goal.
Our social work program is supervised by Francis Krebs, LCSW, and uses motivational interviewing within a positive psychology framework. Social Work Interns are assigned trainees and meet with their trainees weekly. Learn more at homelessgardenproject.org

Health & Safety

The HGP is a farm that uses tools that require proper use.

The HGP is a farm and workshop space that uses tools that require proper use.
Wear closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, drink plenty of water when it is warm.

Address 
P.O. Box 617
Santa Cruz, CA 95061
United States
General Phone 
Student Contact 
Name
Evan Jones
Job Title
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Phone
(empty)
Email
Program(s) 
MSW (Master of Social Work)
Organization type 
Grassroots Organization (Nonprofit)
Focus Population(s)
People Experiencing Homelessness, People Experiencing Material Poverty
Focus Area(s)
Food & Housing Security