Park Place Outreach Youth Emergency Shelter is excited to announce the receipt of a $2,200 grant from International Paper’s Savannah Containerboard Mill. The grant will be used for the new “Park Place Outreach Garden Project.”

The Garden Program is designed for children who live at the shelter. Many of these young people have little or no contact with their parents, and the garden will be a place where families can work together with the ultimate goal of reuniting.

“The Garden Project provides real world, hands-on opportunities for young people,” said Park Place Outreach Executive Director Linda Hilts. “Gardening is a life-long skill, a wonderful stress reliever and a fun reason to play in the dirt.”

Under the direction of a volunteer master gardener, the children will design the space, determine the best seeds to plant and maintain the garden on a daily basis. In addition to getting their hands dirty, they will learn the importance of responsibility, teamwork and their role in our environment.

“What makes International Paper unique is that we are about more than just manufacturing. We have a commitment to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reason and that directly applies to our involvement in the local community. We want the community to recognize us as neighbors, employers and environmental stewards,” said Savannah Mill Manager David Castro, International Paper. “This collaborative activity will connect youth with the environment, promote sustainable agriculture, provide a valuable life skill, and empower leadership.”

Planning and educational components will begin this fall and the first plantings will occur in early spring. As a final component of the program, Park Place Outreach plans to use the produce from the garden for developing nutritious meals, encouraging healthy eating and healthy lives for the young people at the shelter.