Youth wellbeing, a primary concern of community participants, is addressed by the Resources at School project by providing food and health resources at school in partnership with local food and health organizations. Community members highlighted the importance of youth gardening and the need for mental health resources to serve area youth. The project centers on Franklin Middle School, across from Hall Elementary. Students from Hall Elementary School often go on to attend Franklin Middle, and this project bolsters the non-academic resources of both schools. Transforming Aldrich Ave, the project includes a strip of pollinator gardens, vegetable gardens, outdoor classrooms, a pantry, rooftop greenhouses, and a learning kitchen, creating an environment for students to learn about and engage with their food. Produce grown at school supplies the kitchen and pantry, coordinated in conjunction with existing grassroots efforts such as Project Sweetie Pie and Appetite for Change. A health clinic expands Franklin Middle School’s current nurse’s office, providing dental, mental, optometry, and physical care in partnership with Northpoint Health and Wellness. Services are intended to be free or extremely discounted. An outdoor therapy garden provides another option for students seeking mental health care.

Outdoor Classroom

Garden and Pantry Exterior

Pantry Interior

Garden and Pantry Interior

Communal Pollinator Garden

School-based Clinic