Mark and Carol Stevenson’s Veterans Urban Farm is a place for Veterans to benefit from the therapeutic, vocational, and recreational aspects of horticulture in a supportive, community-centered environment. The farm served as CCUA’s headquarters up until 2020 when it began serving Veterans.

At the Veterans Urban Farm, Truman VA Hospital Veterans have the opportunity to participate in vocational rehabilitation and recreational therapy programming. Program participants and community volunteers work to maintain the farm over the course of the growing season. Produce grown on-site is donated to local Veterans and used in health-focused programming at the VA Hospital. Community events and volunteer workdays on the farm create a healthy space for Veterans to gather and build community.

In 2022, the Veterans Urban Farm started a Veterans apprenticeship program. Paid apprentices work on-site for one growing season while learning a variety of urban farming skills. This program is open to all Veterans.

“Working at the Veterans farm has helped me to understand that there are other people who share the same struggles that I do. I don’t feel like I’m so alone in life anymore.”

- Program Participant

The Warriors Garden

Over the course of 15 months long time CCUA volunteer, Billy Froeschner, led a dedicated crew of volunteers and CCUA staff to build a new accessible area at our Veterans Urban Farm. Today, the "Warriors Garden," a 3,000-square-foot accessible garden, stands strong providing wheelchair accessible garden beds, meeting space for program participants, a gathering place for the community, and so much more. Listen as Billy describes what the Warriors Garden means to him.