My first experience with Indy Urban Acres was at Farmraiser, a fundraising event for Indy Urban Acres which occurs annually on the last Saturday in September. This single event was a pivotal moment me – forever influencing the trajectory of my life.
I was battling the internal questions many do when mapping out one’s future. What do I want in life? What do I want to become? What career will make me happiest? What do I need to do to achieve this? I knew two things for sure. I want to work with plants, and I want to be passionate about my work. Indy Urban Acres encompasses both of these ideas and attending the Farmraiser only solidified them further. Because of my experience at Indy Urban Acres, I now had a vision of what I wanted to do with my life. I was instantly inspired by their mission to integrate community and food. It is a mission that stems from passion AND incorporates plants! It’s safe to say I was intrigued.
For three years of my high school career, I was enrolled in a Horticulture program at a vocational school near my hometown. I would spend half of the school day learning about Horticulture and the other half at my high school. This was where I first developed my interest in plants which quickly grew into a passion. Because of this, my cousin Marla, and her husband Alex, who have been supporting Indy Urban Acres for years, thought to invite me to Farmraiser, and I am so glad they did.
I absolutely loved the welcoming geniality of Indy Urban Acres. I specifically remember the beautiful fresh cut flowers, delicious food, and sitting around the campfire talking and laughing with people I only met hours before. I truly felt the sense of community and purpose that is key to what makes Indy Urban Acres so special. I realized this was the type of atmosphere I wanted to find myself in as I continued through life, both in college and beyond.
When I went back to school in Pennsylvania, I felt it was not only appropriate but necessary to share my experience at Indy Urban Acres with my classmates, who have similar interests and career goals as myself. I shared the mission behind the Veggie Boxes and presented the video I was shown at the Farmraiser.
When I first saw this video, I was instantly moved by the mission of Indy Urban Acres. I was inspired by the effect it was having on the community. It was something I saw myself being a part of. I had to share this with my peers. I wanted them to experience same excitement and inspiration for a mission rooted in helping others and building a strong, healthy community.