A new farming partnership with the North End Community Improvement Collaborative and Central State University at Richland Correctional Institution is providing the community with food and inmates with more than just a cell.
The project, sprawled over 30-acres, was celebrated Monday at 1155 S. Olivesburg Road.
The prison along Olivesburg Road leases the vast acreage to NECIC and Central State University. The collaborative provides education and work experience for RICI incarcerated individuals as they prepare for re-entry into the workforce, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections officials reiterated throughout the ceremony.
The project is also providing food banks throughout Ohio with much needed produce through its partnership with The Richland Gro-Op.
Former RiCI Warden Kenneth Black, who recently retired, lauded Walt Bonham, NECIC farm consultant, for his tireless efforts working at the farm and supervising the project.
Deanna West-Torrence, founder of NECIC, thanked the leadership who were instrumental for helping Bonham and herself get the agricultural site started.
"I say Walt and I but Walt did all of this work pretty much himself, setting this up with our team at NECIC," she said.
Founder of NECIC says partnership with RiCI has many benefits
"This project is just another example of collaboration which is what NECIC is about. It's a good public-private partnership. There are a lot of benefits that come out of this program. One we have education. We have our partnership with Central State University. Two, we have food insecurity, we're growing food that goes to help feed people throughout the state of Ohio through a contract with the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Ohio CAN program, which addresses food banks throughout the state," West-Torrence said. "We also have economic opportunity for farmers here, the folks here who are the incarcerated individuals who are working out here," she added.
West-Torrence said good re-entry starts while people are still incarcerated.
"This gives these gentlemen an opportunity to get out, to learn and help economic prosperity here as well," she added.
She took a moment to thank Bonham and the RiCI incarcerated crew who work long hours.
"One huge plus is re-utilization of vacant land," West-Torrence said. "I cannot tell you how many people have been excited to see the farm become farm again."
ODRC's chief says incarcerated individuals leaning skills to help them be successful when they leave prison
Annette Chambers-Smith, director of the ODRC, also addressed the crowd.
"This is one of the best partnerships we have," she said, thanking the families of the 10 incarcerated individuals for coming to the event to see what their loved ones are doing.
She said the incarcerated individuals are learning all the soft skills, vital skills, problem solving, being dependable, showing up on time, following things through from beginning to end, volunteering for a community, "things that are going to help our people do what they need to to do to be successful when they leave," Chambers-Smith said.
Chambers-Smith said these are the kinds of things ODRC needs to be doing.
"A prison is part of a community. It is not a black hole," she said.
Bonham, who is one of the leaders at NECIC's micro farm at 311 Bowman St., said 100% of what is being done at the NECIC/RiCI Urban Ag site, is by grants and donations.
He said the 10 incarcerated individuals have done the work with the crops.
Michelle Wallace, regional Agriculture and Natural Resources extension educator, Northwest, told the large crowd gathered at 1 p.m. that last year 6,000 pounds of produce were harvested on three-fourths of an acre adjacent to RiCI.
"This year the farm has doubled. We hope the yield will double," Wallace said.
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She said the farm happened because everyone involved decided not to put up barriers, citing how plants have the magical ability to heal people, reducing stress and depression and increases creativity and production and enhances self esteem.
"Hope is also very much a part of this farm," she said. Wallace said the in-person training is currently composed of 70 hours agriculture and business classes taught by Central State University extension educators and 700 hours of farming, mentoring and apprenticeship overseen by Bonham.
Scott C. McHugh Jr., one of the 10 incarcerated RiCI individuals, addressed community leaders.
"This is hands down one of the most rewarding programs I have participated in," McHugh said. "We've been blessed to get away from all the negative energy inside those walls and work on something positive."
He said they have gotten to learn about the business side of farming and leadership skills, team work an strong work ethic.
The grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony marls the beginning of a new chapter in agricultural education and rehabilitation, NECIC organizers said.
Representatives of U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance also read aloud words of gratitude to the work being done at the new NECIC/RiCI farm.
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: NECIC/RiCI Urban Agricultural Farm provides education, rehabilitation, community service
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