Camden, New York (June, 2025) – Camden Life Center is proud to announce it has been awarded an Equity Grant through the Hunt & Harvest Grant Program to launch “Harvest & Hunt: Cultivating Self-Reliance in Camden’s Backyard.” This innovative program supports rural food security and wellness by teaching residents how to grow and gather their own food through hands-on gardening, ethical hunting and fishing, and trauma-informed community mentorship.
“This program celebrates the creativity and resilience of our rural community,” said Rebecca Edwards, Culinary Director at Camden Life Center. “We’re so excited to receive the Equity Grant to launch Harvest and Hunt! By teaching gardening and hunting skills, we’re helping folks grow and gather their own food—supporting both food security and self-sufficiency.”
Set to begin in summer 2025, Harvest & Hunt will serve residents across the Camden Central School District—especially those in the Camden area—through seasonal workshops, mentorship, and a culminating Harvest Table Supper that brings participants together to share in the fruits of their labor. The program will partner with Oneida County Cornell Cooperative Extension, NYSDEC, local farms, and Mohawk Valley Community College to provide culturally rooted, skill-rich experiences for all ages.
“This is about more than just food access,” said Jessica Perusse, Program Director. “It’s about rebuilding confidence, emotional wellness, and resilience in a rural community that knows how to thrive when given the right tools.”
Camden Life Center is a collaborative hub in Central New York offering integrated services including mental health support, youth programming, veteran assistance, and food access programs. This initiative reflects its mission to nourish the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—through compassionate, community-centered care.
The Camden Life Center offers a wide variety of services by different organizations. Working together, partner agencies such as Come to the Table Counseling, Center for Family Life and Recovery, Helio Health, and others bring their own unique specialization of services and programs to our community. The goal of this collaboration it to bring the most requested and needed services and support right onto Main Street, Camden.
