SANTA MONICA, Calif. — According to the latest count, Los Angeles County’s homeless population has increased 9% year-over-year.

Growing Hope Gardens is a nonprofit that has been helping the population not with a handout but a hand-up, teaching those who live in affordable housing and homeless shelters to grow vegetables, fruits and herbs.  

The nonprofit also helps to advocate for social services and housing for its paid interns who learn to garden and tend to the 15-and-counting food growing spaces. 

To date, the organization has donated more than 52,000 pounds of produce and helped find permanent housing for six interns.