By: Giselle Ortega When I joined College Corps, I didn’t know what to expect; I just knew I was open to trying something new. That openness led me to MAKE Projects. Moving across the country was a big adjustment, but the people made it easier. My coworkers welcomed me in, helped me adapt to a new environment, and turned unfamiliar days into meaningful ones. Their support shaped my experience more than I anticipated. The work itself surprised me. I never imagined my first year

By: Giselle Ortega When Zahida first began the program, she entered feeling nervous and unsure. She was still learning English, which made communication feel intimidating. At times, she doubted whether she would be able to understand others or express herself clearly. Despite those fears, Zahida showed up each day ready to learn. As the weeks went on, she gained confidence, improving her English skills, and began to feel more comfortable in her role. What once felt overwhelmi

Author: Giselle Ortega This week, we’re spotlighting a CSA member who discovered MAKE Projects the best way possible, on his daily walk. Living just half a mile from the farm, he watched the space come to life and immediately joined the waitlist, excited by the idea of fresh, organic produce grown right in his own neighborhood. A certified plant-based chef, he loves that the CSA introduces him to unique vegetables he’s never cooked with before, pushing him to research new ing

Author: Giselle Ortega Meet Valeria Murrieta, whose journey from restaurants and hotels to MAKE Projects is rooted in hard work and a passion for community. With a background in hospitality management, Valeria discovered MAKE through a friend who had volunteered here, and by February, she officially joined the team. Originally from Tijuana, Valeria moved to San Diego after graduating, hoping to use her skills to give back. Everything she learned from hospitality, service, fle

Author: Giselle Ortega Every season at MAKE brings new growth — not just in the garden, but in the people who help it flourish. Among them are Zahida and Esterlanda, two remarkable trainees whose stories remind us what courage, kindness, and new beginnings truly look like. Zahida, 20, journeyed from Afghanistan chasing her dream of becoming a doctor. Her advice to others stepping into something new: “Be confident, be open to new experiences, and speak to people.” Then there’s

Author: Giselle Ortega On October 25, we held our second Taste of Community at MAKE Farm. It was a beautiful day with all our program staff, CSA members, donors, and volunteers. Here’s how our USD College Corps volunteer, Giselle, described the day: The farm buzzed with laughter, conversation, and curiosity. Guests toured the fields where everything at MAKE begins, the heart of our CSA boxes, and the home of our growing dreams. Together, we created colorful fence art, weaving

Author: Giselle Ortega On what seemed like just a normal Saturday morning, the MAKE community came together once again for another Volunteer Day. With gloves on and good energy all around, I went around asking a few volunteers why they decided to spend their weekend helping out. Their responses were heartfelt:  “I like being outside, helping, supporting the community, and getting to know people.”  Another one said,  “to gain experience working on a farm” because someday, they

WAIT, framing is already up! Work is picking up fast. Here you can see the entrance into our future classroom. And the second photo below is a view into the future culinary garden next to our outdoor bar! Standing in future garden facing MAKE's very first own classroom If you squint, you can see a beautiful garden full of flowers, herbs and butterflies :)

Getting ready to pour concrete for our building foundation on Monday! This photo is looking from the classroom/office into the kitchen (insulation pad on the ground for our 10x10 walk-in coolor on the left) and then into Dining Room 2. After concrete, the building framing is going up!  The excellent work of our GC - Element Builders - not only survived an atmospheric river storm event this week but thrived. Owner, Chris Grippi, even said the heavy rains helped pack down the s