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PHOTO: CHET WILLIAMS
The new initiative will be based out of the Jardín de la Salud community garden in San Bernardino.
Grant Will Support State Outdoor Equity Program for Area Youth
oma Linda University Health (LLUH) has also hold quarterly camping trips for teens and received a California State Parks grant of offer leadership, career exploration, and mentoring $685,000 to expose local youth and their opportunities. families to outdoor experiences as part of “This is really exciting for us because it leverages California’s new outdoor equity efforts. existing relationships we have in our community The three-year grant will enable the university and adds an additional element of nature in how we and its partners to implement the Healthy in Nature can support families in our region,” said Juan Carlos Equity Program for surrounding residents of the Jardín Belliard, PhD, MPH, director of LLUH’s Institute for de la Salud (Garden of Health) in San Bernardino, a Community Partnerships. “This is an opportunity to community garden sponsored by LLUH and its Institute share the proven mental and spiritual health benefits for Community Partnerships. of nature with the broader community.” The effort is one of 125 local California programs The initiative will serve approximately 1,900 to receive funding from the state Department participants and conduct 82 trips to natural areas for of Parks and Recreation’s new “Outdoors for All” approximately 1,500 participants during three years initiative to bring outdoor activities to people of programming. in under-resourced communities. Residents of The program will also include teaching sessions low-income urban and rural areas will be able to on careers and occupations in nature, animals in participate and expand their access to outdoor nature, wellness and sustainability classes, as well as experiences at state parks and other public lands. San Bernardino environmental history, composting, Healthy in Nature will partner with the local aquaponics, and wellness. school district to bring students to the garden and ____________________ hold weekly workshops and educational projects By Ansel Oliver led by LLU staff and faculty. The project will also include monthly family hikes in natural See the latest news and Health & Wellness stories areas each week in places such as the Loma from Loma Linda University Health at news.llu.edu. Linda hills, San Bernardino mountains, Palm Springs, and the coast. The program will
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