We are thankful for our partners in the community working toward similar goals.Together we make magic happen!
In 2020, our Executive Director served the Cedar Valley as an Americorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). The VISTA program brings incredible value to the World Grace Project by offering paid positions to the community we are serving. Currently, WGP hosts 3 VISTA, 2 of which are from the refugee community. Another refugee VISTA is expected to join us in early 2022. A special thanks to AmeriCorps VISTA for your support in our low-income communities and the capacity building of WGP and Little Iron Mom.
In July 2023, we partnered with the Bureau (IBRS) to support incoming refugee and immigrant communities resettling in Waterloo. The VISTA program brings incredible value to the World Grace Project by offering paid positions to the community we are serving. Currently, WGP hosts 3 VISTA, 2 of which are from the refugee community. Another refugee VISTA is expected to join us in early 2022. A special thanks to AmeriCorps VISTA for your support in our low-income communities and the capacity building of WGP and Little Iron Mom.
BHCHD works inside Waterloo Elementary Schools to provide school gardens and nutrition lessons. The Life Gardens by WGP project complements the work done by BHCHD nutrition educators and will allow children attending schools with a high proportion of families that meet the eligibility for free and reduced lunch programs to participate in hands-on nutritional learning activities centered around a culturally inclusive curriculum. In the Spring of 2022, the lending library will be available for checkout with seeds, nutrients, lights, and the new culture curriculum.
The Cedar Valley Makers promotes collaborative learning, creative design, and manufacturing for people of all ages and skill levels. The workspace promotes a culture of innovation, creation, and entrepreneurship and is where our mentorship program is held. We are thankful for the knowledge and energy our partners at the Makerspace bring to the table. They make our life garden project possible!
Waterloo Career Center allows students to explore careers with hands-on experiences helping them develop a competitive advantage to live the lifestyle they want. We are proud to support the Career Center’s Culinary & Hospitality program with a hydroponic NFT school system, featuring professional rails housed in their laundry closet! They recently added two Life Gardens to produce up to 78 heads of lettuce at a time. However, they enjoy raising herbs too, which they had to purchase at a high cost for low-quality. The indoor gardens give the students access to fresh ingredients and explore a sustainable farming process.
