By Kristin Longley It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when Greg Gaines didn’t know a green from a weed. That was long before he became farmer-in-chief of Catholic Charities’ award-winning gardening and mentoring program for at-risk youth, where he’s spent more than a quarter of a century helping Flint-area teens learn how […]
For the past 27 years Greg Gaines has been growing Flint-area teenagers into successful, community-oriented adults equipped with vital life skills. Gaines, 68, became director of the Gardening Program PLUS in 1990. At that time he was still employed by General Motors, so he was balancing the two careers. He retired from the automaker in […]
This 810 Kids! feature is a part of our monthly digital issue sponsored by the Michigan Fitness Foundation and its supporters including the Crim Fitness Foundation, Genesee Intermediate School District and TheHUB Flint. Subscribe to receive the full newsletter. Going green can have benefits beyond helping the environment, especially where children are concerned. Exposing the whole […]
Programs benefitting Flint’s north end neighborhood are almost $2 million richer. The Ruth Mott Foundation today announced its board of trustees approved $1,958,195 in grants to enrich youth, safety, economic, and community initiatives. Grantees that received the 25 awards, ranging from $22,000 to $404,000 include vocational training, art, education, crime prevention and literacy programs, along […]
Our cities and neighborhoods need more seed sewing. The spark of investment, financial or otherwise, is especially crucial in communities challenged by underemployment and lack of other growth opportunities. But who has the vision to help cultivate blocks of often cracked and worn concrete into fertile ground? Where the goal of sowing seed is transformation, […]