National nonprofit organization Impact Justice (IJ) was awarded a $97,000 grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation, to support Growing Justice, a pilot program in partnership with Amplified Ag, to transform upcycled shipping containers into a fully functional vertical farm behind bars.
This first-of-its-kind vertical farm job training program in South Carolina prisons will expand training opportunities, offer new reentry support, and provide fresh produce to the incarcerated residents at Camille Graham Correctional Center, offering transformative potential for incarcerated women and their families across South Carolina.
"Growing Justice is really a triple win," said Alex Busansky, Founder and President of Impact Justice. "We're equipping incarcerated women with the skills they need to thrive in a high-tech environment, seeding the South Carolina job market with new, qualified talent, and delivering fresh produce to prison kitchens that typically lack access to locally grown fruits and vegetables."
In partnership with Amplified Ag, Growing Justice establishes a dual farm/classroom model that can be replicated in other states. The program is also building ties to local employers in order to create a training curriculum that meets their needs, and to establish direct employment pipelines with local Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) farms.
Read more at Post and Courier