Juvenile Detention Center gets grant for garden project

The youth at the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center are growing hope through a new project.

Justin Boka, the recreation coordinator for the Juvenile Detention Center, wanted to start a garden for the youth to take care of, but he didn’t expect his simple idea to turn into a great project, backed by community support.

“I went to Home Depot just to get basic gardening supplies, didn't think, you know, I was going to get all of this, but as I was talking to [one of] the managers there, she mentioned we can put in for a grant through the Home Depot Foundation,” Boka said.

The Detention Center ended up receiving a $3,500 grant through the Home Depot Foundation. Volunteers with the program visited the center and donated 5 raised garden beds, as well as gardening supplies and various plants to get the garden started.

“I thought it'd be good for the youth here in our center to have something to kind of accomplish while they're here,” Boka explained. “Grow something and be able to come out here, maintain it, pick it, and then have our cook cook it up, and they get to enjoy it.”

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The Juvenile Detention Center offers a variety of projects and activities, outside of their education, for the youth to stay active and involved in hands-on things throughout their time at the center.

“I feel like it’s good for them to be able to come out, you know, it's outside, it's peaceful. Kind of get their minds off of whatever they have going on, why they're in here, and just kind of give them a little bit of relaxation,” said Boka.

The staff at the Cascade County Juvenile Detention Center ( website ) believe hands-on projects, such as this one, are good for the kids who are struggling with personal issues to focus on more positive things.