VERO BEACH — The Growing Healthy Kids Orientation for Youth Guidance children will be held Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. at Riverside Park. The Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program and Growing Healthy Kids are teaming up to plant victory gardens at children’s homes to encourage healthy eating and living. The orientation will include registration, information on phases of gardening and a hands on craft project pertaining to gardening to prepare the kids for planting gardens at their homes. Growing Healthy Kids is a newly established nonprofit organization partnering with local clubs and Youth Guidance to build a network of children’s victory gardens in Indian River County. The Growing Healthy Kids project’s focus is to educate and empower children, families and community members to value the importance of optimal health for all, make smart choices and take actions that result in a healthy lifestyle for children and their families. The project with Youth Guidance includes growing vegetable and flower gardens, writing contests and creating garden art using recycled materials. The primary purpose of Youth Guidance is to match each of its 700 at-risk K-12 children with a volunteer mentor 17 years and older. Mentors spend just a few hours a week with their mentee. The agency is actively seeking volunteers to serve as mentors, tutors or periodic volunteers at a special activity or to provide regular help in the office. Youth Guidance is also looking for partnerships with businesses, service clubs and church groups to pair with their unmatched children for just one activity a year.Information: Call Barbara Schlitt Ford, Executive Director, at (772) 770-5040 or visit www.ircyouth.com.
