What’s New!

Here at the Village, we’ve been flying by the seat of our pants as we work hard to work with all the pandemic-related changes to schedules, operations, and the many new needs that the pandemic has either created or exacerbated. Simultaneously, we’ve also been able to add in lots of new and exciting programming. We want to eventually tell everyone all the wonderful details about our new opportunities and collaborations, but for right this moment we just need to briefly fill you in on a few highlights of what we have going on right now! If you’re interested in any of these great new things we have going on, please get in touch with us!

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Summer Female Empowerment Group: This great group of tweens, teens, and young adult women of color has been meeting weekly and is currently working hard to bring the Village Rock Garden to the Ithaca Children’s Garden. Fall programming is still in the planning stages and we look forward to another exciting season!

village-at-ithaca-female-empowerment-group-at-the-ithaca-childrens-garden

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Music & Merch Guys Group: These talented young men are getting together Sunday afternoons to make music, create swag for the Village, and just like the women’s group, the Fall programming is still pending planning and scheduling.

 

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Cooking Workshops: This collaboration with Healthy Food for All has been taking place at the Ithaca Children’s Garden outdoor kitchen, where our teen employees have been working with local Chef Jen Irwin to design and produce recipes using local donated produce. The teens have made sauces, pickles, sushi, collard greens, and zoodles, and have distributed the deliciousness to local families and partners. We are hoping to move this program to the Cornell Cooperative Extension Teaching Kitchen soon.

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What else did we do this summer?!
– We had a Make Your Own Hula Hoop Workshop with Circus Culture at the Ithaca Children’s Garden
– We made awesome new t-shirts
– We became a Neighborhood Food Hub through the Friendship Donations Network
– We raised enough money to keep our Summer Youth Employment Program
– We hosted our annual Board of Education Candidates Forum (virtually for the first time!)
– We had a quarantine-style PJ DJ Trampoline Party, courtesy of Ithaca DJ Festival
– and so much more!
 
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