Location: Mill Creek at Center Street, 3737 Portland Road NE, 355 14th St. NE
Description : Those passing over Mill Creek on Center Street, living at the family microshelters on Portland Road or gardening in Isaac’s Community Garden on 14th Street near downtown may have noticed new native plants, tidy garden beds or benches in spots previously neglected or filled with weeds.
For three weeks each July, volunteer teens with CAREcorps are tasked with transforming the spaces.
CAREcorps connects local teens entering ninth through 12th grade with peers. Together, they form service teams, are trained and coached through local nonprofit Isaac’s Room, also known as the IKE Box Cafe, and partner with the city to tackle projects to make Salem better, city officials said.
Mark Bulgin, executive director of Isaac’s Room, said the service-learning aims to help with academic and career exploration, personal growth, interpersonal development, civic engagement and leadership development.
“CAREcorps has a strong, 14-year history of achieving these goals, as well as showcasing the ability of youth to make some really cool things happen around the community in partnership with adults, schools, the City of Salem, and other agencies,” Bulgin said.