Leavenworth prison farm trains inmates, feeds needy
The United States Penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan. has come up with a program that helps inmates and people who need food alike. And they are doing it all without using a dime of taxpayer money. Non-violent offenders are carefully screened and allowed to work on a farm outside the grounds. Seeds and equipment are either donated or government surplus, and all farming practices are ecologically responsible.
Some of the produce goes back into the prison, allowing them to save money on food, but most of it is donated to food pantries and other agencies. Last year, the prison was able to donate more than 80,000 pounds of produce to help feed the needy and this year, they expect to donate up to 200,000 pounds.
The program also gives inmates life skills, and helps to ensure that, after they’re released, they stay out of prison. One inmate used the skills he learned farming to land a job with a big chemical company. He now makes $80,000 a year. Another got a job as a manager at a landscaping company.
“They’re learning how to grow things, and it’s a newfound interest for them,” said prison groundskeeper Don Sargent. “We teach them that even if they don’t do this for a living when they are released, they can do it to supplement their income by growing their own food.”
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