Santa Maria is excited to announce it has been accepted to receive a $1,000 Summertime Kids grant through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation! The Summertime Kids grant helps support youth summer programs and activities that will provide the kids with fun and educational activities, teach them to live healthy lives, and challenge them to learn and grow through local opportunities typically unavailable to them. The grant will help fund Santa Maria’s Homegrown Cookin’ project, a summer project created to expose youth within the Youth Development Program to gardening, nature, and the outdoors. The youth will be able to experience nature in many ways, including learning about animals, reptiles, insects, plants, trees, and more by taking hikes through different parks in Hamilton County while being hands-on with nature.
Not only will the Youth Development Program participate in fun nature activities, but they will also learn about healthy eating by growing their own produce within the community gardens in Price Hill. Because there isn’t a grocery store near Price Hill, youth will also benefit by being able to take home produce directly from their community garden; they will also be taught how to make traditional Appalachian meals. Santa Maria is grateful for receiving this grant, and is excited to continue introducing youth to nature.
