{"id":12253,"date":"2025-12-18T14:55:01","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T19:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/?p=12253"},"modified":"2025-12-18T14:55:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T19:55:01","slug":"blue-kc-volunteers-kick-off-phase-one-of-delasalle-learning-farm-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bluekc.com\/blueprint\/community-and-culture\/blue-kc-volunteers-kick-off-phase-one-of-delasalle-learning-farm-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue KC Volunteers Kick Off Phase One of DeLaSalle Learning Farm Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christopher Chartrand, a business process consultant at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), is all in as a volunteer to help build a learning farm at DeLaSalle Education Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I saw the word \u2018farm\u2019, it caught my attention, Chartrand said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As someone who lives on a farm and ranch that includes goats and chickens, Chartrand has a chance to pass his farming knowledge on to students, as he gives back to the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI do a lot of volunteer stuff with kids,\u201d he said. \u201cI have five kids myself. We are a foster family and have adopted a child. My wife is a child therapist. My whole life is about kids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kids at DeLaSalle will soon see an acre of land on school property transform into a learning farm and become a new center for urban agriculture to help address food insecurity, thanks to a partnership<\/a> between Blue KC, behavioral and mental health nonprofit Cornerstones of Care and its vocational program, Build Trybe.<\/p>\n\n\n

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As part of Phase 1 for the project, Blue KC employees are volunteering at the Build Trybe fabrication shop to create 16 raised beds out of cedar that will be installed at the DeLaSalle farm for planting vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe raised beds will be boxes that you fill with good soil to begin horticulture and food production, while over time, restoring the fertility of the rest of the soil,\u201d Build Trybe Director Theo Bunch said. \u201cBlue KC volunteers at our shop are allowing for a lot of great interactions between them and our students, running flamethrowers and screwing boards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne group measured and cut the boards, and two groups were building the raised beds,\u201d Blue KC Director of Multicultural Initiatives Wendell Cole said following a recent volunteer event at Build Trybe. \u201cIn particular, Chris Chartrand jumped in measuring boards, and he was working closely with one of the students who had never used an impact drill before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cChris was working with Cass from DeLaSalle,\u201d Bunch said. \u201cThis is the start of Cass\u2019 adventure in the shop. She\u2019s intelligent, and Chris is accomplished builder! He taught her a lot!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToward the end of the night, Chris had a pencil, and he would draw a spot on the board to drill holes, and I would put the screws in,\u201d Cole said. \u201cShe was like, \u2018I think I got it now\u2019, and she absolutely nailed it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love seeing that!\u201d Bunch said. \u201cIf we don\u2019t have that community engagement, it\u2019s not feasible to give them the depth of experience for success. With Blue KC having volunteers like that, we\u2019re able to see the progress of our students skyrocket.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne person can make a difference if we can be that one good adult to help them be successful,\u201d Chartrand said. \u201cHonestly, by the end of this project, most of these kids will be able to maintain all the equipment and structures. They\u2019re going to know how to cut a piece of wood to replace it. One of the intents of this program is to help the students be self-sufficient in this world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOften you walk into spaces and think you can\u2019t do this, but then you realize you can!\u201d Cole said. \u201cThat young lady said, \u2018I\u2019ve got this!\u2019 You can perform just as well with the right opportunities. I love seeing that potential come out in people! They get a chance to drive their future!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have been very impressed with Blue KC and charity, but this project is next level,\u201d Chartrand said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big investment taking on a multiyear project. It\u2019s nice to see a business give back to the community like Blue KC does.\u201d<\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\t

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