LEWISTON — St. Mary’s Nutrition Center recently announced the release of the 2015 Summer Youth Gardener application.

The Summer Youth Gardener program is a popular local job training program for teens ages 14-18. The program accepts 24 youths per summer to participate in one of two four-week sessions, five days a week.

Youths learn how to grow and cook healthy food for their family and community, and they attend workshops on leadership development, hunger, community change and diversity. Youths are paid a stipend for participation in the program and they also take home a “veggie share” (a bag of the vegetables from the garden) to their family each week with tips and recipes on how to make a healthy meal from their bounty.

More information about the program and the application can be found at tinyurl.com/YouthGardenerApplication.

The Nutrition Center is also excited to announce its latest youth program supporter, Double Z Land and Livestock in Turner. Double Z recently donated $1,200 for a youth sponsorship. These funds will support the participation of one youth in the Summer Youth Gardener program.

They are also collaborating with the Nutrition Center to hold the Inaugural Meatball Challenge. Recipes submissions are due March 2 and the challenge will be held on March 8. All proceeds from the challenge will be donated to the Nutrition Center’s youth programs. For more information, see zzlandandlivestock.com/#/welcome/meatball-challenge.

Double Z joins a growing list of local businesses, organizations and individuals that have sponsored youth in the last year. Some recent examples include Agren Appliance, L/A Children’s Foundation, Moving ME Forward/Lake Auburn Half Marathon and Wolfpack Fitness.

The Nutrition Center hopes to garner more local support to fund the participation of all 24 youths in the program this summer, raising a total of nearly $30,000. To sponsor a youth, contact the Nutrition Center at 513-3848, nutritioncenter@stmarysmaine.com. Visit www.stmarysnutritioncenter.org for more information about programming.