Twenty sixteen has been a tremendous year of growth and development for Urban Community Life. With 16 participants this past summer, we jumped quickly from an inspiring concept into an organization that has tremendous capacity to impact the lives of urban youth. Each of God’s Farmers had immediate opportunity to teach life lessons found in the soil, and model Kingdom character to 1,000 summer campers here at God’s Farm. By working and teaching, we are given the best chance at retaining our education. Each farmer learned the importance of courage, team work, and personal responsibility. It is truly an amazing thing to take these young men, ages 7-18, put a shovel in their hand, and teach them how to take honor in the work they do and in the lives they live.

The young men who took room and board at God’s Farm for nine weeks worked a total of 420+ hours. They dedicated their summer break to developing a strong work ethic, honing leadership skills in the seed to sales entrepreneurship program, and gaining the skills necessary to impact their communities. They sold five types of organic, heirloom tomatoes and peppers to Barcelona restaurant in Atlanta. They sold our organic strawberries, blackberries, and thornless blackberry vines to friends and supporters. The $2,000 earned from selling this produce allowed God’s Farmers to not only earn a scholarship at the end of the summer, but to also pay for a portion of their own way in the program. Wow! It was a nervous bunch of farmers delivering the fruit of their labor to Chef Jonathan.

To that end, we had a combined 5,500 hours of demonstration, communication, and good old fashioned love. You help make possible the vision God has given UCLife. It is precisely why each of you are so necessary. As I stretch to fulfill the calling that God has placed on my life for these young men, I realize that I can no longer fill every role that is required. I cannot be dad, role model, friend, teacher, disciplinarian, employer, farmer, therapist, chef, driver, volunteer coordinator, and pastor. I need your continued support to inspire these young men. They have the heart.

Specifically, we need financial support for two missional agricultural apprentices, and 10 supporting partners that would be interested in sponsoring one of God’s Farmers for a complete growing season. This will allow us to have a broader and more intimate impact on each young man’s life. If you, your church, place of employment, or someone you know would be willing to step into this vital role, it would help us tremendously. I would love to sit down with you, or better yet, come and experience exactly what we do at God’s Farm. Plan your next retreat here! Thank you for your donation. Urban Community Life is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Sincerely, Stacy and Rustin Sweeney