The South Shore YMCA exists to strengthen the community: improving the lives of those we serve in spirit, mind, and body.

We are proud to bring you this week’s Mission Moment, a story of impact from the volunteers and staff who support our South Shore YMCA community farms and gardens.

Learn more about our SSYMCA community farms and gardens.

Y Community Farming & Gardening

As part of our Y mission to strengthen community, the South Shore YMCA operates several working community farms and gardens across the South Shore and Cape Cod that provide volunteering, camping and educational opportunities in sustainable farming and gardening; help make our community more colorful and beautiful; and provide nutritious produce to our food pantries to help fight food insecurity.

The SSYMCA Family Farm in Hanover is a working farm with a learning barn and greenhouse where students, campers, families and volunteers learn about planting, growing and harvesting organic produce. All summer, the Family Farm is open on Saturdays from noon-2pm for Family Farm Fun Time, an open volunteering time when the community is welcome to come and experience the benefits of gardening and farming, while helping us grow thousands of pounds of fresh produce to donate to our local food pantry. The Family Farm also houses chickens and bee hives for eggs and honey.

Farming has become a foundational program for our Y camps, and the South Shore YMCA Camp Burgess & Hayward overnight camps in Sandwich have been operating a farm for 12 years. "The fact that kids come to camp, get their hands dirty, and are part of growing something tangible is remarkable to them," said Bruce Netherwood, Vice President of Camping Services. "They actually learn the importance of giving back." Produce grown at the Camp Burgess & Hayward farm is used to feed campers, and about 10,000 pounds of produce is also donated each year to local food pantries.

When you arrive at the South Shore YMCA Natural Science Center in Norwell, you'll hear the clucking of hens and sounds of nature as you hike along wooded paths that surround gardens full of herbs and native flowers. This beaufful educational space is home to our outdoor Y Nature Center Preschool and Y Nature Adventures Camp, and offers the community acres of wooded walking trails, activities, animals and exhibits to enjoy.

In Quincy, longtime Y supporter and volunteer, Paul Mollica, has managed the dozens of raised garden and flower beds at the SSYMCA Germantown Neighborhood Center for years. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, the vegetables grown are donated to our Y food pantry, and local chefs teach healthy cooking classes for the community using food that is grown on the premisis. "Our goal is to make the outside of the Neighborhood Center look as beautiful and vibrant as the work that happens inside," says Paul.

Click here to watch a video tour of these spaces in action, and visit our website to learn how you can visit or volunteer at these and other Y community locations.

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79 Coddington Street
Quincy, MA | 02169 United States

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