Nonprofit Spotlight
Our August Nonprofit Spotlight is on We The People Opportunity Farm!
The mission of We The People Opportunity Farm is to break the cycle of incarceration in Washtenaw County by investing in the employment and development of formerly incarcerated men and women through farming and community engagement.
Over the course of a nine-month paid internship, their interns learn key agricultural skills and techniques. Through hands-on training in their local farm, the interns are taught how to prep and nurture the soil, plant and harvest crops and deliver produce to local restaurants. Their program supports the whole person, through training beyond agricultural skills. Interns participate in their Community Engagements activities, such as career-building workshops, financial literacy coaching, home rehabilitation and educational field trips.
Once they graduate the program, WTPOF partners with them in securing employment, training and further education to advance their personal and professional goals.
The organic produce that they harvest from the farm during their training is distributed to the community at no cost and sold to local restaurants that support their work and enjoy cooking with their food.
Details
Events to support We The People Opportunity Farm
We The People Opportunity Farm Harvest Fest
September 1, 2026–September 30, 2026
ACTUAL DATE TBD! The WTPOF Harvest Fest is in the plans for its 9th year! Stay tuned for updates on the date, how you can support, and how you can attend!
Resources Provided
Not only is WTPOF providing agricultural knowledge, financial and life coaching, and immeasurable community building connections for those who work through their paid farm internship program for those who have previously been incarcerated, they also find numerous ways to give back to the community. They also provide nourishing, local, organic produce to the community, sharing their abundance with those in the area that need the food at no cost to them.
If you could benefit from this support and are in the Washtenaw area, please contact their farm manager at [email protected] for more information.
How to Support
Of course financial donations are always welcome! Visit them at WTPOF.org and find the donation link in the top right corner of the home page, or click the donation button on this page to head directly there!
Other types of donations you think the farm or team might benefit from you can inquire about by contacting WTPOF Board Member Regan Hizer 734-276-1193 via call or text.
Volunteering
There are ample opportunities to volunteer with the WTPOF team! You can find a form to submit a volunteer request on their webpage or reach out to Regan Hizer (734-276-1193) for more information.
Why Zing Loves WTPOF
Our connection with We The People Opportunity Farm began by connecting with the late founder, Melvin Parson. He quickly became a dear friend to many on our team and an important fixture of our community here as well. To say his work is an inspiration would be an understatement. It is profoundly meaningful to us to see how those he's lit the path forward for are now carrying the torch after his passing earlier this year. Though we miss him immensely, as many others do, it's important that the community keeps the legacy of his efforts growing and serving this mission.
The work that happens at the We The People farm creates butterfly effects of goodness in Washtenaw County and surely beyond. Providing someone dignity and peace, while also giving them a purposeful path forward in life is difficult to capture the value of, as all of these people get to not only reshape their narratives, but they enhance our communities with food distribution and bringing people together. It's a lesson in hope and determination that relates so well to working on a farm. Learning that we all need to give what we can in order to reap the harvest together.