At-Risk Youth Grow Hope Through New Garden At Casa Pacifica

Driscoll’s, Other Donors Lead Establishment of Organic Garden

Camarillo, Calif., June 20, 2023 – An inclusive, hands-on learning garden is teaching youth at Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families about nurturing and harvesting fruits and vegetables — but also about teamwork, self-confidence and responsibility.

The 1,200-square foot organic garden is part of a national and state-wide program called Farm to School that helps develop school gardens to teach children about healthy and nutritious food, agriculture and gardening. Casa Pacifica youth get hands-on experience mending soil, growing seeds, maintaining and watering plans and harvesting a variety of crops. Youth will soon utilize what they grow in the garden for weekly cooking classes in Casa Pacifica’s Susan & Ken Bauer Teaching Kitchen.

Funding from Driscoll’s and other donors helped establish the nascent garden, which is home to multiple berry bushes, peppers, pumpkins, lettuce and an array of flowers and herbs. Oxnard-based Agromin Premium Soils recently donated nearly twenty pounds of mulch to the support the garden.

“We envisioned Casa Pacifica’s garden as a place where children and youth could experience nature while finding confidence and hope for their own futures,” noted the garden’s original donors who contributed the seed money to establish the garden in 2021. “We hope this garden will serve as a place of serenity and inspiration for this and future generations, and to be a positive force for change.”

Farm to School program coordinator, Ali Villegas, says the garden encourages youth to work together to create something beautiful while strengthening their cooperation and communication skills.

“Gardening can help kids feel like part of a community as they share responsibilities and work together. They learn to share tools and space, to plant seeds together and to nurture and harvest with one another,” she said. “The social interaction that’s part of tending to a garden also boosts kids’ well-being. Working outside helps increase their feelings of mindfulness and wonder, which can lead to more positive social interactions and behaviors.”

Research points to the mental health benefits of gardening. Although much of the science behind how gardening affects the brain is a mystery, scientists agree that gardening reduces stress and calms the nerves. It also decreases cortisol, a hormone that plays a role in stress response.

Giving youth who face mental and behavioral health challenges the opportunity to participate in recreational activities such as gardening can lead to increased feelings of confidence, self-esteem and pride.

“Helping our youth flourish is at the core of Casa Pacifica’s mission, and the garden is a perfect reflection of that: youth learning to plant their seeds and help them grow,” Villegas said.

“Youth Development & Education is a key focus area for Driscoll’s Giving efforts and it aligns with our vision of growing in harmony with the communities and environment in which we depend on. It’s been rewarding to be

part of this community for the past 40 years and it is truly an honor to give back to the youth of Casa Pacifica as they learn to take care of both the planet and themselves. We look forward to our continued partnership with Casa Pacifica and helping kids live happy and healthy lives,” said Moises Hurtado, District Manager, Driscoll’s.

Future plans for the garden include building a pavilion for an outdoor classroom, including an outdoor kitchen where youth will clean and process produce grown in the garden.

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Casa Pacifica Mission: A life worth living – Casa Pacifica inspires hope and nurtures mental health and well-being of children, young adults, and families to realize their full potential.

Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families provides assessment, clinical, medical, residential, and educational services to foster and at-risk children/youth struggling with complex mental health disorders due to past trauma and/or mental illness. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s and adolescent mental health services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties and administers 15 campus- and community-based programs and services designed to give youth, and their families, the tools they need to heal, rebuild and strengthen relationships, reengage with their educations, and overcome their negative emotional and behavioral challenges. The agency’s Camino a Casa program, available to clients with private insurance, provides behavioral health care to support youth ages 12 to 17 with emotional and behavioral issues, along with their families.

For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development Department at (805) 445-7800.