Ending Hunger Corps VISTA Community Orchard Steward

ReTreeUS is a nonprofit program with the mission of ¿promoting an environmentally sustainable, socially just food system through education, practical resources and mentorship.¿ We plant orchards in schools and with partner organizations to feed and empower generations of healthy environmental stewards, creating equitable access to nutritious food by equipping youth with the knowledge and resources necessary to grow food. By planting educational orchards with students and food forests with community organizations, we are creating positive change in the food system that benefits the environment. So far, we have planted 78 educational orchards, representing more than 1,300 fruit trees, collectively serving more than 22,000 students annually. In 2023 we will be adding 16 school and community orchards, representing 3,742 additional students and 308 fruit trees. The VISTA member will increase our capacity by providing more on-the-ground stewardship visits to our educational orchards. Projects include: ¿ assessing and reporting on the health of trees ¿ direct orchard stewardship, informed by ReTreeUS staff and our ¿OC newsletter¿ resources ¿ connecting and working directly with all of the Orchard Caretakers in the Lewiston/Auburn area ¿ providing direct educational programs, working with students and community members ¿ sharing resources created by ReTreeUS in order to increase learning opportunities in the orchards.

ReTreeUS primarily serves children and youth to adolescents (students age 5-18), including at risk youth. We also work with partner organizations focused on adults, serve teachers and orchard and garden community members. Our work in Lewiston/Auburn serves a significant population of immigrants, migrants and asylum seekers. The VISTA member will join Ending Hunger Corps, working to end hunger across the state as part of Maine¿s plan to end hunger by 2030.