Lawmakers hear request for $300,000 to expand Appetite for Change youth training

Senator Champion presented Senate File 4119 seeking $300,000 to expand Appetite for Change’s youth training and opportunities program, which combines urban agriculture, culinary training and leadership development to provide paid youth work experience and pathways to employment.

Princess Titus, cofounder and senior engagement officer at Appetite for Change, said the organization typically trains about 30 youth in summer programming and 15 during the school year and hopes to engage more than 50 young people, moving roughly 15 into paid positions at the organization. "These young people are rooted in the hood. Let's watch their seeds grow," she told the committee.

Latasha Powell, cofounder and president, described wraparound services and a recent example in which program employment and supports helped a youth with suicidal thoughts move toward stability. Committee members asked about partnerships and program pay; senators and testifiers described collaborations with ECMC, CoLab and Urban Ventures and noted youth wages around $16.37 per hour.

Committee members praised Appetite for Change’s track record and cultural impact. Senate File 4119 was laid over for possible inclusion so the committee can review budget details and program materials included in the packet.