Greater Newark Conservancy facts for kids

The Greater Newark Conservancy is a special group in Newark, New Jersey. It's a non-profit organization, which means it works to help people and the environment, not to make money. Their main goal is to teach people how to take care of the environment. This helps make life better in cities across New Jersey. The Conservancy has many programs. They teach young people, help communities create green spaces and gardens, and share tips for healthy eating. They also offer job training and support people returning to their communities.

Learning Programs

The Conservancy offers fun and educational programs for young people. They also teach about healthy eating and cooking.

Cooking Up Healthy Meals

In the Demonstration Kitchen program, kids and teens learn how to cook. They get to try out recipes that are super healthy and taste great! It's a fun way to learn about good nutrition.

Growing Leaders in Newark

The Newark Youth Leadership Project (NYLP) is a cool program for high school students in Newark. It's like an internship that lasts all year. Students work with the Conservancy's team in different areas. These include gardening, teaching, helping at the farm stand, and even urban farming. Interns also learn important skills like managing money, speaking in public, and understanding nutrition.

City Farms and Gardens

The Greater Newark Conservancy works hard to support urban farms in Newark. These city farms help grow fresh, healthy food right in the neighborhood. This food is often more affordable for families.

Grow Your Own Food

Through the Plot-it-Fresh program, people can even grow their own fruits and vegetables. In 2011, the Conservancy's urban farms grew an amazing 5,000 pounds of produce!

Youth Farm Stand

This fresh produce is sold at local farmers' markets. The Youth Farm Stand is run by the student interns themselves. They grow many different crops like arugula, beets, cucumbers, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, lettuce, and corn. The Conservancy also has programs for raising chickens and keeping honey bees.

Schools and Healthy Eating

Schools in Newark, like Hawthorne Avenue School, work with the Conservancy and FoodCorps. Together, they teach students about healthy eating. Kids learn how to grow their own food and how to use it to make yummy, healthy meals.

Helping People Find Jobs

The Conservancy works with the New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC). They help people who are returning to their communities after being in jail or prison. The goal is to provide job training and support. This helps them find jobs and build a new life.

Clean and Green Program

This partnership started in 2009 with a program called Clean and Green. It helped people learn job skills. In November 2015, the Conservancy became a full partner with NJRC.

Success Stories

Each week, about 10 to 20 people complete a special one-week training. This allows them to keep getting help from NJRC. About 68% of the people who train at the Conservancy find jobs. Others go on to get more education, like earning college degrees or getting a Commercial Driving License (CDL). This program is very successful. Only 19% of NJRC participants return to jail, which is much lower than the state average of 77%.

Outdoor Learning Spaces

The Conservancy has several places where they hold their educational activities.

Judith L. Shipley Urban Environmental Center

Many learning programs happen at the Judith L. Shipley Urban Environmental Center. This center is named after Judith Shipley. She and her husband, Walter Shipley, were big supporters of the Greater Newark Conservancy.

Prudential Outdoor Learning Center

Another important place is the Prudential Outdoor Learning Center. It's a 1.5-acre site on Prince Street in Newark. This center has outdoor exhibits, themed gardens, and a small pond with turtles and frogs. It used to be the site of the historic Prince Street Synagogue. You can still see signs of the building's busy past. This center was built with money from the Prudential Foundation. This foundation is the charity part of the Prudential Financial Life Insurance Company, which is also in Newark.