Homefields has received a $22,000 Level Up & Launch grant from the United Way of Lancaster County. The grant will allow Homefields Care Farm to provide an agricultural workforce training program to four local high schools, building on a long-standing relationship with Conestoga Valley High School.

Students will gain real-world experience at the care farm, located in Millersville, where most farmhands have support needs. In all, the grant will help 40 students learn the basic skills that constitute the majority of entry-level farm labor tasks. These skills are transferable to other growing environments like nurseries and greenhouses.

The United Way will also match Homefields' fundraising efforts dollar for dollar through Friday, Nov. 8, with a potential impact of $66,000.

Homefields is a 19-acre nonprofit organization that provides jobs, homes, and life options to people with disabilities. Its community-supported agriculture (CSA) program grows certified organic food for more than 135 families per season.

Additionally, Homefields donated more than 2,400 pounds of surplus vegetables last season to food banks such as the Loft Community Partnership and the Lancaster County Food Hub. Community members from other organizations, such as Friendship Community, Community Services Group, and Occupational Development Center, regularly volunteer at Homefields.

For more information, visit http://www.homefields.org.