In collaboration with AmeriCorps and seven other regional organizations, Santa Clara University's Environmental Studies Institute launched the Bronco Urban Gardens (BUG) program in 2009 to promote environmental education and healthy nutritional habits for at-risk families in San Jose. BUG serves urban schools and community centers with a special emphasis on San Jose's Alma, Gardner, and Washington neighborhoods. Each year, more than 100 SCU students, 50 community volunteers, 6 AmeriCorps members, and two professors provide standards-aligned science enrichment activities for children, youth, teachers, and families in these marginalized communities. Especially as local government capacity has declined amid the current recession, Santa Clara has stepped in to provide key services to schools, neighborhoods, and families.
Program Goals
BUG is a holistic program with several interrelated goals that include:
- Providing environmental and food justice oriented community-based learning opportunities for SCU students (serving the ELSJ Core requirement and SCU's mission)
- Enhancing ecological literacy and community health through garden, food, and nutrition based education and training programs serving children, youth, teachers, families, and seniors in marginalized communities.
- Improving urban sustainability and environmental and food justice through the development of organic gardens, garden education and training programs and projects for improving access to healthful food.
- Developing and mentoring a new generation of environmental leaders by providing significant opportunities for student interns and AmeriCorps volunteers (including SCU alumni) to take on leadership roles in community development.
- Creating new models and strategies for just and sustainable community development with a focus on socially just and sustainable urban food systems.
Program Hubs
To meet these goals, BUG has developed four hubs, each of which address the program's goals in unique and complimentary ways. The BUG hubs are:
- The SCU Forge Education and Community Garden
- The Alma Verde Program (Alma Community Center, San Jose)
- The Gardner School Garden Program (Alma Community Center, San Jose)
- The BUG Farm (Catalan Farm, Hollister)
