The Young People Who Grew Our Farm, and Grew Themselves
For years, kids ran the rows, fed their neighbors, and led the way.
They were not helpers. They were co-creators. Over the years, dozens of young people served as farm interns with Promise of Peace, learning to grow food, feed their communities, and lead. This page is for them, and for everyone who wants to see what these kids did.
Not Helpers. Co-Creators.
For years, Promise of Peace put local young people to work as farm interns, first at the LaBajada POP Farm at Trinity Groves in Dallas. They ran the Earth to Table cycle on the farm and carried it back into their own neighborhoods. They learned where food comes from, how to grow it, and why access to good food is a matter of fairness.
We invested in these young people. They invested right back, in each other, in the land, and in the families they fed. What follows is a record of what they did and what they had to say about it.
Our Lasting Impact
65
First-generation grads who went on to universities
850+
Young interns over the years
6,000+
Families their work helped feed
Since 2009
Growing young leaders
In Their Own Words
These are the interns, in the words they shared during their seasons on the farm.
Aide, age 18
"Working at the POP Farm has taught me to grow with diverse community members. It has taught me how to contribute to food equity in my community."
Jair, age 11
"Working here on the farm has taught me how to be part of a solution. Our community needs this."
Alexa, age 16
"Getting to see people from different backgrounds visit the garden inspires the work we continue to do here."
Laura, age 16
"Working on the POP Farm, I've learned that you can grow anything with a lot of love and effort."
Alejandro, age 14
"I want to be a better person and grow tomatoes successfully."
Jocelyn, age 16
"The farm has taught me where the vegetables I eat come from. It has given me new healthy choices and an appreciation for access to healthy food."
Lizbeth, age 16
"Being able to hear different perspectives lets us reflect on what we can improve and what we have accomplished in the garden."
What These Kids Pulled Off
This was not busywork. The interns planned, planted, harvested, cooked, and led, and the community showed up because of them.
They Hosted a Community Dinner
The interns planned, prepared, and delivered a fall harvest Sunday Supper at Saint Rocco's New York Italian at Trinity Groves. A youth-led dinner that brought neighbors together, spearheaded start to finish by the kids.
They Reaped the Harvest
Every week, the interns brought in their Earth to Table harvest and gathered on the sharing porch to reflect on the work. Tending, prepping, and harvesting, right through the cold fronts.
They Saved the Seeds
The interns harvested papalo seeds, a summer cilantro-like herb, to save for the next warm season, and collected the leaves for their own Soup It Forward sweet potato chili recipe.
They did all of it alongside community volunteers, including a crew of SMU Mustang Heroes who worked the rows right next to them.
And Look Where They Went
The farm gave these young people more than a summer job. It gave them confidence, responsibility, and a reason to believe in what they could do.
65 of our youth interns, every one a first-generation high school graduate, went on to attend universities across the country.
The Work Continues
The internship that started in Dallas lives on today at Sunshine Acres, our 14-acre farm in Mineola. A new generation of young people now works the rows, grows the food for our Soup It Forward kits, and learns the same lessons these interns did.
The names change. The promise does not.
Help Grow the Next One
Every intern on this page was made possible by people who chose to invest in a young person they had never met. You can do the same. Sponsor or mentor a youth intern, or donate to keep the program growing for the next kid who needs it.
Want to sponsor or mentor a young person? Call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220.
Internship Questions
What was the Promise of Peace youth internship?
It was a program that hired local young people to work as farm interns, learning every part of growing and sharing food. Interns were treated as co-creators, running the Earth to Table cycle on the farm and bringing it back to their own neighborhoods.
Where did the interns work?
The program began at the LaBajada POP Farm at Trinity Groves in Dallas. Today it continues at Sunshine Acres, our 14-acre farm in Mineola, Texas.
What did the interns actually do?
They planted, harvested, and cooked. They hosted a youth-led community dinner at a Trinity Groves restaurant, saved seeds for the next season, and grew ingredients for our Soup It Forward kits, all alongside community volunteers.
What happened to the interns after the program?
Many went far. At our Dallas farm, 34 of our youth interns, every one a first-generation high school graduate, went on to attend universities across the country.
Can I sponsor or mentor a young person today?
Yes, and it is one of the most direct ways to help. Call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220 or use the form on this page to learn how to sponsor or mentor a current youth intern at Sunshine Acres.
Invest in a Young Person
Want to sponsor or mentor a youth intern, support the program, or partner with us? Send us a note and Elizabeth will be in touch. Prefer to talk? Call 214-240-9220.
34 Grads, Now in College • Dozens of Young Leaders
Growing Youth Since 2009 • Every Dollar Stays Local
They Grew the Food. They Grew Themselves.
Every one of these kids started with a seed and a chance. Help us hand that same chance to the next young person who walks onto the farm.
Questions? Call Elizabeth at 214-240-9220.
Promise of Peace Gardens
Elizabeth Dry | 214-240-9220
Sunshine Acres Community Farm, Mineola, Texas
© 2026 Promise of Peace Gardens. All rights reserved.
