West Sacramento Man Helps At-Risk Youth With Community Garden

A West Sacramento man is using gardening as a way to keep at-risk youth from going down the wrong path.

Alfred Melbourne is using the Three Sisters Garden down C Street for more than just planting crops.

"We want to surround our kids with as many opportunities and positive role models as we can," Melbourne told CBS13.

Serving as a founding board member of the Three Sisters Garden, Melbourne is helping at-risk teenagers and young adults through employment and encouraging them to stay off the path that he once went down.

"In between jobs, once I was released from prison, just kind of bouncing around and not feeling fulfilled in what I was doing," said Melbourne. "For me, it was like therapy. It was for something for me to just really throw myself into completely."

Another Sacramento resident who has benefited from the garden is Miguel Lopez.

"Once I came to the garden, he gave me something to do," Lopez told CBS13. "I didn't have to be out on the streets getting into trouble."

Lopez is now a youth ambassador for the garden.

Although the pandemic has forced them to send home their youth and call off volunteers, Melbourne hopes to build more gardens throughout the community soon.

"It's just been hope," said Melbourne. "Hope to continue to see ourselves in our community and do really good things."

Photo: Getty Images