As winter settles into our area, AntFarm’s housing team is working with heightened awareness. The colder months bring additional stress for people already living close to the edge. Bills increase. Missed hours on a paycheck carry more weight. Transportation becomes more complicated. Firewood runs out sooner than expected. When maintaining basic necessities is already unstable, winter has a way of magnifying every vulnerability. Housing instability in smaller communities like

AntFarm continues to serve youth and families across Sandy, Estacada, Molalla, and rural Clackamas County, through programs that offer safety, connection, skill building, outdoor learning, and community support. YouthHubs, gardens, workforce development, outdoor stewardship, the AntFarm Café and Bakery, and bilingual family programs all depend on the same essential ingredient: a community that chooses to invest in its own people. This week brings a major moment for that inves

Summer 2025 marked a peak season for YouthCore crews, filled with steady work, community partnerships, and the kind of growth that happens when purpose meets opportunity. Across the region, youth and young adults ages 14 to 24 cleared brush, maintained trails, supported events, and helped property owners care for the places they love. For these young workers, it is more than a paycheck. It is a chance to gain confidence, learn professionalism, and serve their community with p

The mornings are becoming crisp in Sandy, and nothing feels more welcoming than the smell of coffee and fresh baked goods at the AntFarm Café & Bakery. For more than ten years, the café has been part of local life, serving meals and drinks that not only nourish customers but also support the youth and family programs of AntFarm. From vision to gathering place Construction began and the café opened in 2013. Youth and volunteers helped strip floors, polish wood, and bring the v

A Sudden Shift in Funding. In early spring, AntFarm Youth Services learned that the funding which had powered its summer work experience program for nearly a decade had been cut. The news was sobering, but the response was immediate. Staff knew that if nothing was done, youth across Sandy, Estacada, and Molalla would lose a meaningful opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with their community. Rather than step back, AntFarm mobilized. Leaders, staff, and partners came toget

Nestled within the heart of Sandy is a quiet garden space blooming with fresh energy and purpose. Made possible by a generous land use donation from the Leathers Family, the Sandy Youth Garden is part of AntFarm Youth Services’ Outdoor Learning program. It’s a living classroom where youth, staff, volunteers, and families come together to grow food, steward the land, and cultivate connection.  Under the leadership of AntFarm team member and local farmer Carson Krause, the gard