I had the pleasure of meeting the Bridges through a chance encounter with their older son. I was moved after they shared with me their own journey with pediatric cancer. Through that challenging experience, they have pulled together and built something small yet so beautiful and impactful for other families to have a chance to forget about the battle they are fighting. I witnessed families from all walks of life find compassionate and understanding ears of others who have a shared experience. I saw young patients and their siblings smiling, joyously running from one farm adventure to the next. Again, it was powerful to see what an impact this little farm and the generosity of the Bridges and their army of volunteers was able to have. All my co-workers were equally moved and inspired and it was easy for us to designate them as the beneficiary of our 2022 charity golf tournament. We at Andersen are truly honored to be a small part of what Embrace Compassion and their family of volunteers have built and are excited to see what they are able to do with the additional resources.

The farm has helped us recover from the trauma by providing a sense of community and support in an environment that feels incredibly safe to our risk averse family. The experience as a whole has restored my son's sense of wonder which diminished after a battle with SOS. I cannot say enough good things about the Pearl Street Urban Farm and the positive impact it's had on our family's journey. Every family experiencing childhood cancer should have this opportunity.

As a parent of a child going through treatment for ALL during the COVID pandemic the Embrace Compassion farm experience has served as a safe refuge for my daughter to see and feel some normalcy in her life. The outdoor experience is spacious and provides numerous areas to interact with people and animals as you and your family find appropriate for your child's treatment course. I believe it has provided us parents with social bonds for reinforcement in the caregiver journey that we may not otherwise form.

Volunteering at Pearl Street Urban Farm has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Every seed planted, every harvest gathered, and every hour spent serving helps bring hope, nourishment, and comfort to families with children facing cancer. What makes this farm truly unique is that it creates opportunities for everyone to make a difference. Pearl Street Urban Farm is more than a place where food is grown—it’s a place where lives are transformed. Families find peace and support during some of their most difficult days, while volunteers discover purpose, friendship, and pride in making a real difference. Being part of this community has shown me that everyone has something valuable to offer. No matter our background or abilities, we all have the power to bring hope, kindness, and healing to others.

I love volunteering at the farm. My favorite things are feeding the chickens, visiting the goats, picking blueberries, helping to repair the machinery, and harvesting flowers. It makes me happy to be outside and work with my friends. I like helping families who have children with cancer because it feels good to do something kind for other people. Before I came here, people were always helping me. Now I get to help someone else, and that makes me feel proud. The farm has helped me learn new job skills, work as part of a team, and believe in myself. I always look forward to coming back because the farm feels like family.

At the height of the pandemic that turned everyone's world upside down, Pearl Street Urban Farm was our family's refuge and shelter from MRI's, chemotherapy, blood cell counts, and worry. It has been our chance to escape the world of pediatric brain tumors for an afternoon and just enjoy being a family. Our daughter could for a few hours stop worrying about when her next dose of Zofran was, and enjoy being a kid collecting farm fresh eggs, digging for potatoes, and playing with bubbles. More importantly, it allowed her to see that she was not alone in this, that there were other children and families just like hers who were struggling and fighting, just like she was.

An absolutely beautiful place to share love for the family, to heal, and to hope. A very special place for kids fighting cancer. What you will see and experience here is a true labor of love.