Burmese Community Center For Education Inc

FAMILY AND SOCIAL HEALTH PROGRAMS DOMAIN: WITHIN THE FAMILY AND SOCIAL HEALTH DOMAIN, BCCE CONTINUES TO INVEST IN ONGOING PROJECTS INCLUDING THE COMMUNITY ORGANIC FARMING PROJECT. BCCE INITIATED THE COMMUNITY ORGANIC FARMING PROJECT IN THE SPRING OF 2011. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE TO RECONNECT THE COMMUNITY WITH ITS CULTURAL ROOTS, PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING THROUGH HEALTHY EATING, AND TO EDUCATE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION. THIS YEAR MARKS THE SWVENTH YEAR OF THE PROJECT AND INVOLVES THE PARTICIPATION OF 30 FAMILIES, BCCE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS BCCE SERVES. BCCE CONTRIBUTES SEEDS, ORGANIC FERTILIZER, COORDINATION, MANAGEMENT, AND THE LABOR OF STUDENTS AS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. THE FAMILIES WILL TEND TO RANDOMLY ASSIGNED PLOTS TOTALING ABOUT AN ACRE OF LAND ACROSS TWO SITES. INDOOR SEED GERMINATION BEGAN THIS LAST QUARTER IN THE CARE OF 10 FAMILIES. THE PROJECT OPERATES ON TWO SITES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS. THE PRIMARY SITE IS LOCATED ON THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF INDIANAPOLIS GROUNDS WHERE THE LAND, TILLING, AND WATER ARE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CHURCH. THE SECOND SITE IS MAINTAINED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REFUGEE RESOURCE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE (RRRI). THROUGH RRRI'S RELATIONSHIP WITH LAFAYETTE SQUARE MALL LANDOWNERS, APPROXIMATELY 1/3 ACRE IS MADE AVAILABLE TO BURMESE FAMILIES. RRRI ALSO CONTRIBUTES SEEDS AND MAKES HAND TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THE FAMILIES. THE FAMILIES CONTRIBUTE LABOR, SEEDS, TILLING, AND MAINTENANCE WHILE BCCE COORDINATES AND MANAGES THE PROJECT AND ASSUMES COSTS OF WATERING. TILLING BEGAN IN THE LAST QUARTER.