Jannus, Inc., the administrator of the Idaho Office for Refugees (IOR) organization focused on advancing economic and racial equity for refugees and immigrants in Idaho, has received a $200,000 grant from KeyBank. The KeyBank grant will help to fund two IOR programs: Global Gardens and Global Talent.
Global Gardens is an urban agriculture training program for refugee farmers that provides land, water, and infrastructure at five farm sites, all with the goal of creating agricultural jobs and businesses and reducing food insecurity in the community. The programme teaches farmers how to use lean farming techniques to conserve water and soil, as well as assisting small-scale farmers in accessing the Boise food economy through direct-to-consumer sales and aggregated wholesale programs for restaurants and cafeterias.
Global Talent is intended to assist college-educated immigrants and refugees in Idaho in starting or reclaiming their professional careers. Participants can take advantage of a national curriculum, training materials, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. The program's goal is to prepare participants for self-sufficiency by placing them in high-quality professional positions.
“The work of Jannus and the Idaho Office of Refugees through these programs is helping immigrants by providing the resources, training and additional support needed to help them escape poverty and live the American dream,” said Scott Schlange, president of KeyBank Idaho.
“At KeyBank, we are committed to giving back in ways that make our communities stronger, and it is our pleasure to support Jannus and the important work they are doing through the Global Gardens and Global Talent programs.”
Jannus anticipates that these programs will benefit Idaho communities by increasing access to fresh local produce, and employers will benefit from an increased local talent pool of highly qualified job candidates.
"We're so excited to have support from KeyBank to really address needs that we've seen over the years," said Hannah Roche, manager of Global Talent. "For example, we will be creating a business English class for Global Talent participants that will increase their ability to thrive in the workplace.”
"With this grant we will be developing the community garden, which is in Boise city limits and also in a low-income area," said Rabiou Manzo, who managed Global Gardens for the past three seasons.
"That will provide fresh vegetables to people and produce less greenhouse gases. Farmers will learn techniques to increase yield and decrease food waste. We are hoping this will increase racial and financial equity for refugee farmers in Idaho."