“GROW the Future” Scholarship

Scholarship Description:

The “GROW the Future” Scholarship offers an award of $150 to a graduating senior who is pursuing further study in a career in one of the following fields of academic study: Environmental Studies, Culinary Arts, Sustainable Agriculture, Horticulture, &/or a related field.  We will award one $150 scholarship annually to a graduating senior at both Waverly High School and Athens High School. 

Scholarship Requirements:

Candidates should have a minimum of 5 hours of volunteer experience with Project GROW or a related community organization, and/or have completed a project approved by Project GROW (or a related community organization) leading up to application. Candidates must be community-minded, exhibit qualities of integrity and leadership, have a respect for and love of nature, and demonstrate a good work ethic.  Financial need may also be considered in the award of this scholarship.  The student must have guidance counselor approval before applying for this scholarship. 

For an application, please see your guidance counselor at Athens or Waverly High School or send us an e-mail at pennyorkprojectgrow@gmail.com.   All applications must be received by April 15th.  This deadline may be extended in 2021.

 

Our mission is the seed of our intent,  “to cultivate opportunity, education, and inspiration in our community to value, access, and grow healthy food.”

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Over the years, thanks to community support, Project GROW has been able to provide numerous youth programs to our valley community. 
 
This season, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided that it was priority to give back to the local community in their time of need.  We shifted our focus from fundraising and youth programming to only growing specific crops that were pantry friendly and making bi-weekly donations to two local food pantries.  They appreciated our fresh produce donations, offering nutritious choices for pantry visitors. 
 
We have always donated a minimum of 10% of what we grow to local food pantries but this season we donated 90% of the produce grown.  We were proud to support our neighbors in need including seniors at a senior specific food pantry. 
 
It was a difficult decision to cancel our Annual Heirloom Plant Sale in May, our only annual fundraiser, which helps to fund our after school Garden Club program and our Summer Youth Training Initiative.  Due to school closures and measured risk, we ended our Garden Club early and did not offer our annual Youth Training Initiative over the summer.  Our Mad Kitchen Club program is postponed until 2021. 
 
We remain optimistic as we look forward to continuing our programs next season and we can use your help and support.
 

We plan to continue to:

  • Build, expand, and improve our community teaching gardens
  • Educate the youth of our region by teaching them how to grow their own food, maintain healthy gardens, and prepare their own snacks and meals!
  • Grow healthy food to share with everyone in our community, including local pantries and soup kitchens, doing our very best to make sure that we are all fed (especially those who are food insecure)

This time of year we focus on the harvest and we feel GRATITUDE for all of those who have supported our mission in so many ways.  Some have shown up at the garden to lend a helping hand, some have shared their individual talents behind the scenes, some have baked goodies for those working in the gardens or for Project GROW events, and some choose to support our programs with a financial donation. 

If you feel that you would like to support our good work in the community by making an online donation, click the following link for an easy, secure way to donate:  paypal.me/ProjectGrow

If you prefer to mail a donation, please copy/paste information below and include with your cash/check payment which can be mailed to us at:
 
Project GROW of Penn-York Valley (c/o UUCAS)
112 North St.
Athens, PA 18810
 
 
**All funds stay directly in your community and your donation is tax-deductible as we are a 501(c)3 organization.
 
******************************************************
YES! I want to support Project GROW of Penn-York Valley towards a more stable sustainable future.
Please accept my enclosed tax deductible, one-time gift of:
 
                  $25.00    *$ 50.00    *$75.00    *$100.00     Other $_____
 
 
Name ____________________________________________________________
 
Address ____________________________________________________________
 
E-Mail ___________________________________
 
Phone _____________________________
 
 
Together we are creating a better future!  Thank you for helping us to create a health and sustainable community….
 
 
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Stay posted for a few upcoming Work Bees!

We offer a share of the harvest for work hours in our gardens (as available, seasonal) and are more than happy to sign off on community service hours for a job well done.

Come meet some really great folks and learn more about Project GROW and ongoing volunteer opportunities!

We are always recruiting garden volunteers during our growing season May-September.  Volunteers needed for watering, mowing, fence mending, weeding, harvesting and local pantry delivery July-October.  All hands on deck again in mid-October (until snow falls) when we put the “beds to bed” for the winter again.  That job involves a lot of shoveling leaf mulch onto the beds and planting garlic for next Spring!

We are always looking for volunteers to lead seasonal food preservation workshops or teach classes on interesting subjects related to gardening and nutrition throughout the year.

Interested in volunteering or would like to be added to our mailing list?

Contact us and we can work hard to improve our community together! 

Send us an e-mail at pennyorkprojectgrow@gmail.com or give us a call at 570-731-3101.  

What are you waiting for?  Come GROW with us!

Come help us dream and envision new ways that we can continue to improve the health and well-being of our local community….

If you would just like to follow us and find out what we are up to…..

Like us on FB at valleyprojectgrow

*there is also a “Project GROW Volunteers” group for active volunteers

Follow us on Instagram: valleyprojectgrow

Send us a tweet…on Twitter: PYVProjectGROW

Thank you in advance for your feedback and of course, for your dedication to helping to support Project GROW!  Great things are sprouting….don’t you see?

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