ReWild Long Island

2023 Summer Program To Fight Hunger and Climate Change applications are now open

ReWild Long Island’s 2023 Summer Program To Fight Hunger and Climate Change applications are open from now until May 1. The program runs from June 25 to Oct. 8, produced by an organizing team of ten student organizers from the 2022 program.

According to ReWild Long Island’s website, “The Summer Program is targeted at high school students and adult volunteers motivated to further biodiversity, climate resilience, and food security in our community.”

The program occurs at multiple locations throughout the Town of North Hempstead, centered around Port Washington. The Summer Program is made possible by a partnership between ReWild Long Island and Plant A Row for the Hungry, Port Washington. Working through the summer, youth volunteers and interns learned to grow food regeneratively, to plant native perennials, eradicate invasives, compost, and recycle. The program activities are listed below:

• Design your own sustainable garden

•Organic and regenerative food production

• Rewilding and sustainable landscaping

• Composting

• Recycling plant pots

• Connecting with nature and ecosystems

• Lectures and training

The hands-on work and learning opportunities not only teach local youths the importance of valuing the environment, but fosters a deeper appreciation for helping others.

During the 2022 summer program, vegetables, herbs and flowers harvested were donated to the food pantry at Our Lady of Fatima in Manorhaven, NY, assisted by Bayles Garden Center. Youth education and engagement are made possible through the time and expertise of many local organizations including the Cow Neck Peninsula Historic Society, PWGreen, North Shore Audubon Society, Science Museum of Long Island, Transition Town Port Washington and The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Shelter Rock.

Students work sites included gardens and preserves across Port Washington, Manhasset and Manorhaven, such as the ReWild Garden at Dodge, the Adult Activity Center, the Sands-Willets House, Guggenheim Preserve, Science Museum of Long Island, Sands Point Preserve, United Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, and the Helen Keller National Center.

At the Commendation Ceremony for the 2022 students, Raju Rajan, President of ReWild Long Island, said, “The passion and dedication of our summer students inspires all of us to action on Food Security, Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Protection. The students have made a huge impact on our local environment, and in turn, their lives will be shaped for the better through their work this summer.” Students of all abilities are encouraged to apply to be student interns or student volunteers. ReWild Long Island will be hosting an informational session on April 16 to learn more about the summer program.

Visit www.rewildlongisland.org/ summerprogram or contact raju@ rewildlongisland.org for details.

—Information provided by ReWild Long Island with additional reporting by Julie Prisco