Growing Skills, Confidence, and Community: Reflections from Our First Paid Youth Internship Program
At Healing Meals Community Project, we believe that learning to lead starts with learning to serve—and this summer, our first-ever paid youth internship program brought that belief to life.
The 2025 Sarah B. Livesey Summer Youth Internship Program, generously funded by the Sarah B. Livesey Foundation, welcomed 12 high school interns for a ten-week, 15-hour-per-week immersive experience designed to connect food, health, and community. More than just time in the kitchen, the program blended cooking, gardening, nutrition education, mentorship, and community health outreach into one powerful learning journey.
Interns learned not only how to prepare nutritious meals and grow fresh produce but also how to understand the bigger picture—how access to healthy food, community wellness, and health equity are all intertwined. Through workshops, guest speakers, and field trips to local food pantries, grocery programs, and farms, participants saw firsthand the systems that support (and challenge) food security in Connecticut.
“Helping at the Hands on Hartford pantry was something I’ll never forget.”
“I had no idea how many people in nearby towns are food insecure.”
“I was nervous about public speaking, but by the end of the summer, I could present our group project with confidence.”
The results were inspiring:
💚 11 of 12 interns said they would recommend the program to a friend.
Participants reported growth in leadership, communication, and problem-solving.
💚 Several shared that they now feel more prepared for future college and career opportunities.
As our first internship program of its kind—with stipends provided for each student—this summer marked an important milestone for Healing Meals. It demonstrated that when young people are supported, mentored, and compensated for their contributions, they don’t just gain skills—they gain confidence, purpose, and a lifelong commitment to community.
This summer’s internship was more than a program—it was a community effort rooted in mentorship, compassion, and growth. We’re deeply grateful to the Sarah B. Livesey Foundation, our staff, and the mentors who made it possible—and to the interns who reminded us all of the power of showing up to serve.
Read the full 2025 Summer Internship Impact Report to see how this groundbreaking program cultivated a new generation of changemakers ready to lead with heart.
