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St. Pete Youth Farm tells Senate committee its youth-led model feeds neighbors and trains teens
Summary
St. Pete Youth Farm leaders and youth ambassadors presented to a Senate committee on their small, youth-led urban farm (0.83 acres) funded primarily by South St. Petersburg TIF dollars; they described workforce training, mental-health programming, composting, volunteer partnerships with local colleges and requests for expansion including a proposed food truck or culinary kitchen.
Carla Bristol and youth ambassadors from St. Pete Youth Farm told a Florida Senate committee in Tallahassee that a small, youth-led urban farm has grown into a multi-program organization that trains teens, distributes food locally and provides mental-health and workforce programming.
Bristol said the farm operates on city-owned land measuring 0.83 acres and is funded primarily through South St. Petersburg community redevelopment (TIF) dollars, with one-time foundation support in year one. She described youth-focused programming including leadership and character development, financial-literacy sessions (including a visiting Raymond James volunteer), ServSafe food-handling certification, mental-health workshops, composting and an aquaponics system that produces fertilizer.
Youth ambassadors described concrete outcomes: Elias Franklin Ross said the program emphasizes "leadership and character development," and other speakers cited workforce pathways, volunteer opportunities, community events and production of food and compost used on site. Bristol told the committee the farm has hired more than 160 youth over time, hosts more than 80 events annually and diverts community waste through composting; she also discussed plans to expand training and serve prepared food via a lower-cost food-truck model rather than building an immediate commercial kitchen.
Members asked about program origins, partnerships and costs. Bristol said USF, St. Pete College and Eckerd College provide volunteer and grant support and that the Enoch Davis Center plans a culinary kitchen development adjacent to the farm. She said the farm's funding limits expansion, and asked for more positions and opportunities so the program can hire more youth. Presenters closed by offering contact information and a program calendar; the committee thanked them and moved on to other business.
