VoluntEars help build new flower beds for UCP+ in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It was all hands on deck on Tuesday as ABC30 employees worked side-by-side with a group of students from UCP+, formerly known as United Cerebral Palsy Central California.

The goal was to build new flower beds for their community garden in Fresno.

ABC30 President and General Manager Martin Ortiz says the station's parent company, Disney, made this opportunity possible.

"It's more than just covering the news, the weather and sports. It's serving the communities we serve, and that's exactly what's happening today."

UCP+ Community Instructor Isaac Young wants to help connect students with the Earth. He said people with disabilities should have the same opportunities outdoors as anyone else.

"Get dirty, get your hands dirty. Feel where our food comes from," said Young.

Young said having volunteers construct these new flower beds can also help build relationships.

"I hope they get to meet people who treat them with respect and see that the community and such people," Young explained. "There's a lot of good out there, and there are a lot of people who will never look at them differently."

Maria is one of the students who loves to come to the community garden every Tuesday to get her hands dirty by pulling out overgrown weeds, but her love for the garden doesn't stop there.

"The flower bed and the vegetables, too, are my favorite," said Maria.

David Gomez has been attending UCP+ classes for about four years. For him, spending time in the garden is about the connection with his peers.

"We like to socialize and everything, you know," said Gomez.

After hours of building and constructing, it was time for the final push.

Coordinators said the community garden shares a valuable lesson that sometimes things don't grow.

Other times, with a lot of love and care, flowers and food can bloom.

"That is good. You guys did a good job growing that," said one volunteer.

UCP+ hopes to move into this space by next year. They say they'll have double the space and be able to serve more people, but it also depends on the monetary donations from the community.

For more information on how you can help, click here.

For news updates, follow Vince Ybarra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.