Vt. Youth Conservation Corps program connects families with food

RICHMOND, Vt. (WCAX) - Tuesday is the second day of Vermont Open Farm Week, and a farm in Richmond is highlighting a program that brings food to health care settings.

The Vermont Youth Conservation Corps on Tuesday showed off their 12 acres of organic vegetables, poultry and egg production. The nonprofit organization started the Health Care Share project. It takes organic vegetables and pasture-raised chickens and gives them to more than 400 families.

Eleven medical centers identify families who are food insecure, and each week, they get to pick up a bag of farm-grown food at no cost to them.

VYCC calls it a win-win for families and young people in their program.

“So we hire young adults and they all work together on small teams and all the food we grow is then distributed through medical centers who have identified families and patients who have struggled with food insecurity or diet-related illness,” said Breck Knauft, the executive director of VYCC.

The program provides about 65 jobs to young people from the Green Mountain State and around the country.

You’ve probably seen their iconic red barn while you’re driving on Interstate 89 through Richmond. Our Jessica Tara learned more about what’s being done to spruce it up.

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