DCJ youth learn to garden and cultivate green spaces around the Juvenille Services Complex and in Portland's water parks.
The gardening efforts first began when Juvenile Custody Services Specialist Bernard Wolpert led a team of DCJ youth to develop and maintain gardens in and around the Residential Alcohol and Drug Program facility. The young gardeners donated the vegetables from their harvets to a local shelter.
Now their efforts are turning to the grassy areas along 68th Avenue and at the northeast corner of the complex (adjacent to the freeway off-ramp). Youth participating in DCJ’s summer employment program will be working towards the cultivation and beautification of these previously underutilized green spaces.
Visitors are encouraged to walk the grounds to see how well the various garden plots are doing which dot the landscape at the Juvenile Justice Complex.
In addition to the efforts along 68th Avenue, DCJ youth are also beautifying portland's water parks in the program Hands of Wonder, a joint effort with the Portland Water Bureau. Hands of Wonder employs youth weeding and cleaning water parks, giving the teens an opportunity to earn minimum wages to directly pay their restitution to victims.
For more information, contact Kim Bernard, Department of Community Justice Public Information Officer at 503-988-4376.