New Partnership Grows in Waukegan

COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS

NEW PARTNERSHIP GROWS IN WAUKEGAN

Thanks in part to generous donors, things will be sprouting up in the future in Waukegan with a new Center for Urban Agriculture & Community Development at the CLC Lakeshore Campus.

“This is an initiative that touches on each of the pillars and values of CLC,” said Roneida Martin, executive director, community programs, personal enrichment, judicial services and the urban farm.

The farm is being funded by generous, local benefactors who have, to date, donated $3.2 million. The college partnered with the Chicago Botanic Garden to learn from its Farm on Ogden, a multi-use facility located in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood. The Lakeshore Campus initiative will take inspiration from the Farm on Ogden and build upon local community input to be relevant for the northshore Lake County communities.

The student-run farm, expected to open in fall of 2023, will apply sustainable agriculture practices: hydroponics, aquaponics, raised beds and greenhouse production. It will operate from three renovated CLC buildings facing Madison Street and will help revitalize the Lakeshore Campus with a facility that includes food cultivation, aggregation and storage.

Veggies will be grown hydroponically, in water, which provides a faster growth cycle, and will be enhanced with nutrients that are good for plants as well as people. In addition, this method allows CLC to have optimal use of space for the yield and provides nearly zero emissions which ties into the college’s role as a sustainability leader.

“I’m excited about this new endeavor, which will be a community effort. In the spirit of a true partnership, CLC has been and will continue to engage the local community to see how we can achieve mutually beneficial goals,” Martin said. “We cannot do this important work by ourselves.”

CLC has engaged the community through townhall meetings and by bringing together many smaller-scale nonprofits that focus on

food insecurity. “We will be collaborative with all of these important partners,” she explained, adding that all ethnic foods will be involved and featured, to reflect the diversity of Lake County. The college also will honor the land on which the farm will lie through a Native American Land Acknowledgement Statement.

“I’m particularly excited about the Veggie Rx program in which we’ll partner with local physicians who will prescribe fresh veggies that people can come to our farm and obtain. We’ll also offer nutrition education and more activities in partnership with the community,” Martin added.

Eliza Fournier joined CLC as the new urban farm director in December. She previously worked at the Farm on Ogden, so is in an ideal position to help lead the Lakeshore Campus effort.

Watch for more information as this project continues to bloom.

URBAN FARM GOALS:

EDUCATION

Create best-in-class workforce development pathways in sustainable agriculture, horticulture, culinary, wellness and business

FOOD

Establish a community hub and marketplace in Lake County for locally produced food

HEALTH

Promote wellness, healthy cooking, food as medicine, and community health

JOBS

Develop the Lake County workforce through skilled employment opportunities that prepare for the next generation of leaders

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

A core value of CLC – this new facility builds on the existing Lakeshore Campus expansion initiative. The Student Center, opening Fall 2022, is anticipated to receive LEED Platinum certification.

FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Innovate diverse revenue streams including: restaurants, food distribution, recruitment partnerships with local employers (apprenticeships), hosting community groups and events and more!