Summer 2016 was the ​inaugural ​season ​of ​a ​summer ​job ​skills ​program ​created ​as ​a
bridge ​for ​high ​school ​age ​students ​with ​special ​needs ​as ​they ​transition ​from ​academic ​programs ​into life ​as ​adult ​members ​of ​the ​community. ​In ​collaboration ​the Trellis ​Project, ​a ​youth ​oriented ​personal development ​program ​created ​by ​the ​Center ​for ​Restorative ​Youth Justice, ​several ​students ​from ​area ​high ​schools ​participated ​in ​twelve
weeks ​of ​job ​skills ​development ​at ​the ​Central ​Kitchen ​Garden ​in Kalispell. ​Over ​the ​course ​of ​the ​summer, ​CRYJ ​youth ​and ​our ​job ​skills students ​worked ​together ​with ​staff ​and ​volunteers ​to ​expand ​the garden, ​grow ​a ​plethora ​of ​fresh ​fruits ​and ​vegetables, ​and ​host ​several community ​supper ​clubs, ​meals ​created ​and ​served ​by ​program participants ​to ​showcase ​the ​summer’s ​work ​and ​skills ​of ​each ​student. The ​youth ​also ​manned ​a ​donation ​based ​market ​stand ​on ​site ​two ​days per ​week ​offering ​fresh ​produce ​to ​the ​community.