About Soil of Prosperity

Soil of Prosperity, a name coined by local youth, grew from a regional partnership involving the City of Belle Glade, Lake Okeechobee Regional Initiative, University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Palm Beach County.

SOP aims to create a small-scale farming experience that educates Belle Glade youth about the history of the area in which they live and have local youth participate in the economy through a simulated entrepreneurial venture. Additionally, SOP provides students with a foundation for careers in all aspects of the agriculture industry. This immersion program exposes participants to production, financing, processing, marketing, distribution, and the vast network of careers that support management and conservation of Florida’s natural resource systems. SOP also enhances channels that connect youth to larger entities like theSouth Florida Water Management District and the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge.

SOP operates on a 1/3-acre lot at the Youth Empowerment Centerin Belle Glade, FL. On any given day a passerby will witness the harvesting of minds and the development of lives in the rich soil of the Glades. The program is supported by a group of committed business leaders, plant pathologists, and community volunteers.