Our Fellow spotlight this month is Grace Duffy, who serves at the Regional Environmental Council (REC) of Central Massachusetts as the Education and Youth Development Fellow. One of the most interesting and amazing things about Grace is the fact that she grew up in the same neighborhood that she serves in Worcester, MA. Growing up in Worcester and going to the public schools, Grace’s parents ran (and still run) a short-term emergency homeless shelter called the Saint Francis & Therese Catholic Worker House. Grace remembers having large communal dinners with rotating guests – which helped build social skills that have been extremely helpful for her current position at REC.
Grace has two major projects at REC, managing and running the Youth GROW (Growing and Raising Organics in Worcester) program, and serving as the Class Coordinator for Worcester’s Share Our Strength cooking programs. The Youth GROW project has developed from a summer program for youth to work in community gardens into a year long program for high school and college aged youth to develop their leadership skills, hold a part time job working in the community gardens, and engaging in discussions of food justice and food security. Her other big project is coordinating nutrition based cooking classes in an effort to end childhood hunger. She plans cooking classes for youth and families who are directly or indirectly affected by food security and access.
The best part of her job is the time she spends with her youth. Grace’s expansion of the Youth GROW program has given her experience planning social and recreational events and retreats, leadership skills trainings, and service opportunities for the youth of Worcester.
Her motto for the program is “50% educational, 50% recreational, and 100% bonding.”
When I asked Grace about the most challenging part of her year so far has been meeting and hearing stories about people in really difficult situations, but being limited by funding to help them – “It’s really hard to turn someone away.”
This year has been an amazing transition period for Grace “to have structure and support from leaving undergrad, and getting an opportunity to big things professionally that will set me up for success.” Grace notes she had initially been intimidated about meeting new people, but she’s been
“happyly surprised by how cool everyone is…”I am really excited and grateful to have a job that I enjoy and look forward to. I am also happy and grateful to [have met] a whole group of people who I wouldn’t have crossed paths with if I hadn’t gotten this opportunity.”
Grace will be staying on for a second year with the Fellowship and at REC. In the further future, Grace notes that her work at REC has helped her realize and embrace a dedication to food justice, food security, and youth work – “I’ve discovered a talent interest [in the work] that keeps me excited and invigorated.”