Published in Santa Cruz Sentinel: October 5, 2023. By JESSICA A. YORK Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in his native Washington, D.C. this summer, Paul Goldberg and his family made a smart turn at the 11-ton elephant specimen looming over the grand rotunda and, there, found a piece of home. Amidst an interactive temporary exhibit titled “Our Places: Connecting …
Reconnecting With Myself
Good Afternoon Everyone and Welcome to the Cesar Chavez Day of service here at the Homeless Garden Projects Farm. So how was lunch? Let’s thank 1440 for providing us with such an outstanding & nourishing lunch! First-off I would like to thank each and everyone of you for not only taking the time to show up… but putting in the …
Peace and Connection on the Farm
Good afternoon, welcome to the Natural Bridges Farm. My name is Eric, I’ve been a trainee here at HGP for the past 10 months. I initially came to the garden because I needed income. I came out here from Colorado to be with my girlfriend & help her get out of the homelessness she was stuck in. We were living …
The Farm Nourishes Me
Hello, my name is Doug, I have been at the Homeless Garden Project since May. I grew up on the east coast, and have a construction, and restaurant background. I moved to California about ten years ago, and even though I had experience, it was hard for me to find work. The Homeless Garden Project gets people from all different …
All the Beauty in Me
When I was preparing for this talk, it was important to me that all of you here as guests at our Sustain Supper would get my very best. I wanted to speak in a way that you could see my excitement about my experience here, but also see how important the program is in our community. This program excites me, …
Agricultural Work and the Benefits to Well-being on the Homeless Garden Project Farm
The Homeless Garden Project Farm provides an avenue for Agriculture Therapy. It is a site for the community to come together and experience healing, growth, and solace. My Journey with HGP The Homeless Garden Project is a unique site representing strength and resilience in the Santa Cruz community. This farm provides a healing and therapeutic setting for everyone involved. During …
We Grow So Many Wonderful Things Together at HGP
“Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them.”
A Second Opportunity
Being homeless I am never happy, but sometimes I am content. Since I started working for HGP and earning a paycheck I have been content. My god, just having a bike that’s not stolen is a godsend. I use to have to walk everywhere, about 8 miles a day for most of a year.
Belonging to Something Bigger Than Myself
If you would have told me just a few short months ago that I will be asked to speak for the city of Santa Cruz, honestly I would’ve told you that you were crazy. No one tells you life is easy. But I believe it is as hard as you make it, and I made my life extremely hard for …