YouthBuild is proud to emphasize green practices throughout its operation, including:

Rain Garden

YouthBuild McLean County advocates a sustainable culture that is incorporated into our construction, education and office practices. This culture inspired the staff and students at YouthBuild to create a rain garden for our YouthBuild site. The construction of the rain garden not only helped to establish a sustainable environment for YouthBuild students but was also seen as an opportunity to integrate environmental awareness into the educational curriculum. A group of students learned about the water cycle, water pollution and other water issues, and how rain gardens can mitigate some of these issues. This project was made possible by the Illinois Rain Garden Initiative Grant, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Conservation Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is a garden of native plants in a small depression to temporarily hold rainwater runoff from roofs, driveways and other impervious surfaces. Rain gardens effectively remove pollutants from rainwater runoff collected from these surfaces because they act as a filtration system to prevent fertilizer, chemicals, oil, garbage and bacteria from entering nearby streams and ponds. They also help with stormwater and flood control by allowing more water to soak into the ground. Not only are rain gardens aesthetically pleasing, they also require very little maintenance and attract beneficial birds, butterflies and insects.