Antfarm Inc

OUR MISSION IS CREATING AND CONNECTING A HEALTHY, PURPOSEFUL, AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING LIFE-CHANGING LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUTH. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SERVE YOUTH, FAMILIES, AND DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES IN CLACKAMAS COUNTY.

ANTFARMS EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PROGRAM INCLUDES COVID 19 RENT ASSISTANCE, ISOLATION & QUARANTINE SUPPORT AND OTHER VARIOUS SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS DISPLACED OR FACING FINANCIAL DETERIROATION DUE TO THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC. THIS PROGRAM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND TO CLACKAMAS COUNTY. THE COVID 19 TEAM WORKS CONSISTENTLY HELPING PEOPLE AFFECTED BY COVID 19.

THE YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAM AT ANTFARM REPLACE OLD PROGRAMS AND EXPAND NEW ONES. THIS PROGRAM INCLUDES ALCOHOL AND DRUG PREVENTION, YOUTH DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS WITH HOMELESS YOUTH, AND OTHER YOUTH SERVICES. YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES WERE EXPANDED AND WERE POWERFUL SUPPORTS AND INTERVENTIONS DURING THIS YEAR OF THE PANDEMIC AND CONTINUE TO BE. THE LEARNING GARDEN HAS MOVED INTO THE YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAM AS HAS THE CULTURAL ARTS. THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO BE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITES AND PROGRAMS. THE ANTFARM LEARNING GARDEN IS A VIBRANT GARDEN UTILIZED BY THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR YOUTH LEARNING AND SUPPORT OF LOCAL FOOD SOURCING. GARDEN ACTIVITIES INCLUDE LEARNING ABOUT PLANTING, GROWING, WEEDING, HARVESTING, AND PROCESSING FRESH VEGETABLES. A GREAT DEAL OF FOOD IS GIVEN TO SENIORS AND FAMILIES IN NEED. THE YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAM IS A LARGE GENERATOR OF VOLUNTEER HOURS EACH YEAR, COMING IN AT 7710 HOURS!

ANTFARMS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - FORERLY KNOWN AS YOUTHCORE, COMMUNITY CONNECT, FARMERS MARKET, AND PLANET 365 PROGRAMS HAVE ALL COMBINED AND EXPANDED AS THE NEW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PUBLIC LANDS, AND AGENCIES WHILE TEACHING YOUTH VALUABLE WORK SKILLS. ANTFARM WORKS WILL ALL YOUTH, YET MANY ARE CHALLENGED WITH AND OFTEN DEMONSTRATE LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES, AND ADDITICTION. WE ENGAGE ALL YOUTH IN LEARNING OBJECTIVES THAT NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE BASIC WORK READINESS SKILLS, BUT ALSO ADDRESS LIFE AND SOCIAL SKILLS NEEDS. YOUTH ENGAGED IN ANTFARMS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM LEARN FIVE BASIC WORK READINESS SKILLS IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIFIC SKILLS REQUIRED TO DO THE WORK. IN ADDITION, VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS AND SOCIAL SKILLS LEARNING AND SUPPORT ARE BUILT INTO THE DAILY ROUTINES YOUTH ARE GIVEN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS A PART OF THE TEAM THAT CREATES AN UNDERSTANDING OF POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS, THE ABILITY TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER, AND THE ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM. OUR YOUTH HAVE MINIMAL OPPORTUNITIES TOO, SO IT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO WITNESS THE PRIDE IN OUR LOCAL YOUTH WHEN ENGAGED IN ANTFARMS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AS THEY WORK ON LOCAL PROJECTS. YOUTH WHO NEVER VENTURED INTO THE LOCAL NATURAL LANDSCAPE ARE NOW REGULARLY ENGAGED. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN A STRONG SENSE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY PRIDE. PARTNERSHIPS INCLUDE WORKING WITH MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, RECREATIONAL TRAIL PROJECTS, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, YOUTH TRANSITION PROJECTS, AND MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ANTFARM EMPLOYED 97 YOUTH AND ADULTS THIS YEAR PROVIDING MANY OF THE YOUTH FIRST TIME JOB EXPERIENCES. THE PROGRAM (FORMERLY COMMUNITY CONNECT) ALSO PROVIDES FREE SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY, MAINLY ELDERLY, BY YOUTH WORKERS AND VOLUNTEERS WORKING WITH ADULT VOLUNTEERS. THE YOUTH GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN TRADE SKILLS AND HOW TO BE PART OF A PROFESSIONAL TEAM, WHILE ALSO LEARNING ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. THE VOLUNTEER TEAMS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM DO THINGS LIKE CLEARING STICKER BUSHES FROM PROPERTY AND OTHER LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES, REPAIRING DAMANGED PROPERTY, PAINTING, ETC FOR THOSE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE GO WITHOUT THESE SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM SEES A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS EACH YEAR. THE MOUNT HOOD FARMERS MARKET OFFERS VENDOR SPACE FOR OVER 25 LOCAL FARMERS AND ARTISTS AS WELL AS SEVERAL YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS. ONE PROGRAM THAT IS VERY POPULAR AND IMPORTANT IS TEACHING THE POWER OF PRODUCE, PROVIDING TEACHING ACTIVITIES ABOUT FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES TO CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12. THE MARKET ALSO PROVIDES SNAP, DOUBLE UP AND WIC BENEFITS. THIS HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT LOCAL RESOURCE FOR PROVIDING EDUCATION AND HEALTH LIFESTYLES. THE 2113 VOLUNTEER HOURS GIVEN TO THIS PROGRAM IS HUMBLING.