Support Estefany and Alex's college dreams

Estefany and Alex have both worked at the Kingston YMCA Farm Project since their first year of high school. We have witnessed each of them learn, grow, and become teachers and leaders through their work at the farm and in the community. Estefany is a talented teacher and ran all of the programs for summer camps visiting the farm this year! Alex ensures our vegetables are clean and farm-stand ready by running our wash station. If you visit the Thursday farm stand, you definitely know Alex because of his top-notch customer service.

Both Estefany and Alex are first-generation college students. Estefany is pursuing her goal of becoming a teacher by studying Elementary Education at Buffalo State University. Alex will pursue his passion for art at SUNY New Paltz.

Even though they both receive financial aid and are contributing their hard-earned personal savings, there is still a gap between the money they have access to and what they owe. We are asking for you, our community, to help Estefany and Alex close that gap.

We want to help fill the gap between their financial aid packages, the money they have earned working hard at the Kingston YMCA Farm Project and what they owe!

These students have worked to help our community, will you, our community, please consider helping them? From $10 to $10,000, every single cent will help.

The Kingston YMCA Farm Project offers year-round employment and learning opportunities for Kingston high school students. The heart of our program is the Youth Farm Crew. This past year we provided meaningful employment for 37 high school and college-aged youth. We empower and employ youth to engage in processing and participating in the world, explore and take actions to benefit the community while integrating social justice. In addition to stewarding the farm and running our farm stands, the heart of our work, our Youth Crew staff have designed and built pollinator gardens, championed Sojourner Truth Day, run a pop-up restaurant, published a bilingual cookbook, designed public spaces in the City of Kingston, and so much more!

Here’s what one of our seniors had to say about the Kingston YMCA Farm Project:

“I am a first-generation Mexican-American with a love for art. Throughout my life, I have been driven by two things: a deep love for art and an unwavering commitment to my Kingston community…Working with the Kingston YMCA Farm Project for over three years, nurturing our local urban farm, and helping the members of my community access fresh and healthy produce has been an immensely rewarding experience. Additionally, I have gladly offered my time to assist neighbors with their lawn and garden work, seeking opportunities to make a positive impact on those around me. I’ve seen that investing in my surroundings creates a stronger community.”