Community Impact: South Shore YMCA Family Farm

Thanks to the support of volunteers, donors, and grant funds, our South Shore YMCA Family Farm is making improvements to provide students, volunteers, and the community of Hanover and beyond with tangible learning experiences in organic farming.

The South Shore YMCA Family Farm invites visitors to participate in hands-on learning while giving back to the community. Here, children enrolled at the South Shore YMCA Early Learning Center and Camp Gordon Clark enjoy learning how to grow food and flowers in our natural surroundings. Organic produce grown at the farm is donated to local food pantries, including the Hanover Food Pantry and SSYMCA food pantry.

Improvements were made at the farm throughout the summer in time to ensure a successful fall harvest. A new well was dug to allow for better irrigation and, thanks to grant funds, the Y was able to build a new barn that will act as a classroom and space for community events. New electric lines were also put up throughout the 1-acre farm, thanks to generous donations.

Produce grown at the Family Farm is donated to local food pantries, where fresh produce is not always available. Thanks to the work of volunteers at the farm, the community has access to fresh, organic, locally grown produce, promoting healthy living throughout the community.

“This season, we harvested a little over 500 pounds of produce and we donated most of it to the Hanover Food Pantry to help feed those in need,” said Dan Berry, Executive Director of the South Shore YMCA Emilson Branch, who oversees farm operations.

One of the farm’s key volunteer groups is Aramark, who spent time on Thursday, September 23 preparing our Family Farm for the fall. Working with SSYMCA staff, Aramark volunteers spent the day harvesting vegetables, weeding, and cleaning garden grounds.

“After three years of planning, building, and laboring, the YMCA in Hanover is well on its way to donating hundreds of pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries,” said Berry.

For information on how you and your organization can help support the Y through volunteering efforts, please contact the South Shore YMCA’s Vice President of Development Mary Orne, at morne@ssymca.org. For more information on the Family Farm, contact Dan Berry, at dberry@ssymca.org.