ESCONDIDO (KGTV) — An Escondido nonprofit is asking for the community's help after the Santa Ana winds knocked down the greenhouses it uses to teach students about farming, food, and life skills.
Deanna Smith is the executive director of the Grape Day S.T.E.A.M. — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math — Foundation, a nonprofit that runs after-school programs on her farm in Escondido.
The Santa Ana winds came through last Friday and blew through the greenhouses, knocking them down.
When ABC 10News spoke with her, Smith described the caution tape surrounding the fallen frames and missing panels of her greenhouses, with planters and other garden supplies scattered on the ground.
"The next day when we came out, uh, this is what we saw," Smith said.
"When I got up the next morning, and I saw the devastation, it was, it was very sad. Um, but you know, I guess there's room for growth," Smith said.
Smith says the greenhouses were used for an after-school program for underserved communities in Escondido. Nearly 2,000 students would come to her farm for two to three hours after school.
"They learn about where their food comes from. They learn about safe soils. They learn about creating a meal for themselves; they collaborate to make a menu, and then they come back, and then they harvest, and they make spaghetti squash and salad and blows their mind, and some kids don't even believe me that there is such a thing as spaghetti squash," Smith said.
Smith built the greenhouses about 10 years ago. She says replacing them could cost up to $35,000 — more than she can cover alone.
Smith says the help is essential, because these programs teach students key skills outside of technology.
"3 hours for them to not look at their iPod, iPads, not look on social media. 3 hours for them to just learn about life and soils and food and just break away from reality and just be a kid," Smith said.
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