Mission and Goals

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Youth Farm and Market Project provides year-round, youth development programming for youths ages 9 – 18, utilizing experiential education and training, urban agriculture, gardens and greenhouses. We build youth leadership through planting, growing, preparing, and selling food. Youth Farm and Market Project currently works in 3 neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, Lyndale and Powderhorn in Minneapolis, and the West Side of St. Paul.

Youth Farm and Market Project employs a unique progressive programming model, where the outcomes of each program, Youth Farmers (ages 9-11), All-Stars (ages 12-13) and Project LEAD (ages 14-18), building upon the outcomes of the previous set. Our goals are consistent through each program:

Build Young Leaders;

Promote Healthy Lifestyles;

Create Neighborhood Connectedness and Opportunities for Contribution; and

Develop & Nurture Healthy Relationships.

a. We believe strong youth make strong communities – Youth are responsible and essential members of the larger community and of YFMP as an organization.

b. We value and honor the diversity within our communities – We work to create diverse spaces that honor and value all who are present within our communities.

c. Building connections is foundational to our work – Connections between young people and their peers; youth and caring adults; youth and food; youth and community; youth and the earth.

d. We believe in long term relationships – Relationships with youth and their families over time is the foundation for quality and impactful youth development.

e. We value a sustainable approach to life and food – By engaging youth in physical activity, as well as the growing, distributing and eating of healthy local produce, we model a holistic approach to self and community.

f. We believe in local empowerment – Our locally focused work creates stronger communities and builds engaged citizens. We support and partner with local businesses, grow local leaders, and provide local food.

Our work results in youth who have demonstrated strong work skills and are engaged in real and meaningful community work, who eat and appreciate a variety of healthy foods, who understand and can teach the processes of growing produce, who are physically active, and who are surrounded by supportive adults and a more engaged communities.