Nurture

Increasing healthy food access for youth, by youth.
Get involved

Seeking Youth Gardeners!

Work in the gardens this summer.
Free training provided!
Sign up!
A vertical shot of a garden. There is a long, straight pathway down the middle and gardens covering the left side of the pathway. On the right there is a shed and other gardens. At the very end of the pathway is one young person wearing a yellow shirt gardening.

Our Vision

Check mark
Youth-tended gardens at every school
Check mark
Easy access to healthy & local food for all youth, every day
Check mark
Regenerative gardens that support non-human communities
Check mark
Opportunities for meaningful relationships with peers and the land
Check mark
Networks for adult allies in local food hubs and as garden mentors
Check mark
Empowered 'food literate' youth with access to developing more advanced food skills
Check mark
Youth can see, feel, and know the positive impact their actions have in their communities

We run a variety of programs throughout the year. Both young people and adults are welcome.

Get involved!
A hand holding a carton of fresh eggs. They are various colours: brown, white, and blue.
A group of five young people in a garden. One of them is sitting on the other's shoulders. They are all laughing.
A close-up of a green, black, and white caterpillar in bright green foliage.
The table at the Youth food market. There are baskets of radishes, leafy greens, and other vegetables. A small chalk board that says Beets $1.50, Cabbage $1, Lettuce heads $1, Lettuce mix 50 cents.
A few youth out in a garden harvesting zucchini. There is a basket of zucchini on the ground. The grass and foliage are lush and green.
A young person looking through what looks like a magnifying glass at an orange flower. They seem focused.
A group of three young people who seem to be exploring in a garden. They are bent over to look more closely at the plants.
An image of a young person digging in a garden.

Get involved

Two young people working in a garden. They are trellissing tomatoes.
Fall-Winter-Spring
Food Forest Design Teams
Join us as we move through a process of learning and design.

Then, YOU design a food forest for a local school in Waterloo Region!
Join the design team
An overhead shot of two young people working in a garden. They are harvesting zucchini.
Summer
Nurture Garden Teams
Paid positions in local school gardens!

Grow food for your community, find belonging in the garden, and work with a team. Training & mentorship are provided.
Join the garden team
Summer
Adult Garden Mentors
Do you have gardening experience? Are you passionate about local food?

We're seeking reliable adult volunteers to support our Nurture School Garden Teams in July and August 2024.
Apply to Volunteer
Two radishes in dirt. They look bright red and green in contrast with the dark brown soil.

What is a Food Forest?

A food forest is a way of growing food that mimics the architecture and beneficial relationships of a natural forest ecosystem.
‍
Contact us at:nbarsoum@regionofwaterloo.ca
Contact us
Nurture partners:
Smart Waterloo Region black logo.Youth in Food Systems logo.Seeds of Diversity logo.Region of Waterloo transparent logo.
Social media

Follow Nurture on Instagram

Other Projects

Smart Waterloo Region Innovation Lab Projects

Mockup

Community Canvas

A communty art project dedicated to the artistic and cultural development of youth ideas in Waterloo Region.
Learn more
Mockup

GIMI Impact

A curriculum empowering youth to build out their ideas and improve their community.
Learn more

Want garden news?

Subscribe to the Smart Waterloo Region newsletter.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Smart Waterloo Region black logo.
Menu
Home
About us
Our Projects
Learn
Lead
Resources
Contact us
Address
151 Charles St W
Kitchener, ON
Inquiries