Rotarians for the Development of Youth to Break Ground on Echo Lake Farms Foster Family Housing

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Nov. 20, 2025 - PRLog -- Rotarians for the Development of Youth is pleased to invite the media, dignitaries and the public to its groundbreaking ceremony for Echo Lake Farms, an innovative agricultural project designed to provide homes for foster children and parents in a positive farm environment.

The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, at 6192 County Road 219, Melrose, FL. The event is open to the public, and photo opportunities will be available.

Echo Lake Farms represents the first project for Rotarians for the Development of Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering responsible, well-rounded and productive young people through exposure to an agricultural upbringing integrated with the local community.

"To the best of our knowledge, Echo Lake Farms is the only project of its kind in the United States—an agricultural foster-care community designed as a series of individual mini-farms where licensed foster parents raise children in a stable, nurturing farm environment." said Judy Starnes, who with her late husband Milton donated the land that made the project possible. "By providing homes in an agricultural setting, we strive to instill values of responsibility, hard work and a sense of purpose that will help shape their future."

The project will build 10 foster homes over 10 years on approximately 5-acre plots. Each mini farm will provide a home for a foster couple committed to caring for children placed with them through the court system. The $4.3 million project is located on more than 100 acres of donated land.

Our goal is to provide an agricultural environment where children can gain life skills, develop a strong work ethic, and discover a sense of purpose through hands-on farming experiences while living in a stable family setting.

We welcome your support through donations and in‑kind contributions; for more information about Echo Lake Farms or to learn how to get involved, visit https://www.echolakefarms.com/.

Rotarians for the Development of Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering responsible, well-rounded, and productive young people by providing hands-on agricultural experiences and exposure to farm-based life. Echo Lake Farms, RDY's first project, provides foster families with homes in a safe and nurturing agricultural environment where children can thrive and grow. The organization's long-term goal is to build multiple foster homes on donated land, creating a community where foster youth develop life skills, responsibility and a strong work ethic through hands-on agricultural experiences integrated with local community support. For more information, visit www.echolakefarms.com.