Detroit Black Community Food Security Network is an awesome grassroots organization that is doing work in improving people’s knowledge about and access to healthy food across Detroit. See my summary of Lupinacci’s account of some of their goals and missions. Though they educate the whole Detroit Community through a variety of programs (including community gardens), their Educational and Youth Programs “teach [kids] all aspects of the food system – from food justice and environmental awareness to agriculture techniques and healthy food preparation” in local Detroit schools.
The Garden School Foundation is based in the Los Angeles community that works with schools to “sustainably implement our curriculum of experiential standards-based lessons in all academic subjects, as well as cooking and nutrition, to strengthen the connection between education, health, environmental awareness, and thriving communities. They have implemented garden-based education programs in 6 LA schools, and also have two 2-week summer program for kids to more thoroughly explore the garden.
The Greening of Detroit works in many areas and focused on ” re-purposing vacant land to create beautiful and productive green spaces.” This organization trains community members on how to plant greenery around Detroit, installs residential and community gardens, and hosts a variety of gardening education classes. For kids, they host a variety of camps, programs, and also host schools for field trips to educate students about healthy food, and green environments.
CitySprouts of Boston and Cambridge, was founded by parents, a schoolteacher, and a principle motivated by “a shared concern about children growing up hungry for hands-on learning, ignorant of where their food comes from and with too few opportunities to really know their natural environment.” Since its inception in 2001, CitySprouts has expanded to include a partnership with every public elementary school in Cambridge, and many public schools in Boston. Their school-partnership programs include working with teachers to develop garden-based, interdisciplinary curriculum. They also have middle school summer and after-school programs where students learn about the science of gardening.
The Center for Environmental Transformation in Camden, NJ “seeks to educate people into a more environmentally responsible way of living on our planet.” They run many programs through their on-campus garden including retreats and internships for students to learn how to manage a successful garden. They also partner with schools on a program, called Garden SEEDS (Service, Eating, Education, Diversity, & Silliness) where young kids (Pre-K through 8th grade) explore food and where it comes from hands on.
Cultivating Community is a community garden based right here in Portland Maine that “creates and sustains greater access to healthy, local foods; empowers people to play many roles in restoring the local, sustainable food system.” Besides managing 11 community gardens, Cultivating Community also has year-round youth internships to develop leadership and job skills. They also partner with local schools to install gardens and develop teaching curriculum.
Urban Creators, based in Philadelphia, was founded in 2010 by community members who wanted to transform a 2-acre garbage dump into a farm. Their regeneration program “engag[es] at-risk and formerly incarcerated young people as pioneers in the revitalization of their own communities” through involvement with transforming vacant land into urban parks and public parks. They also have a summer youth leadership program for teens to work in their urban garden and also participate in food and social justice workshops.
SPROUT NOLA is a New Orleans based organization that believes in “empowerment through gardening.” Their community garden is home to several programs including apprenticeship programs, community classes about healthy and sustainable gardening,
Moss Haven Farm is a community garden that “exists to cultivate a respect for the earth and food-growth process in our students.” Based at the Moss Haven elementary school in Dallas, it is 1 of 47 national Teaching Garden sites with the American Heart Association. They integrate math, science, and reading with environmental awareness and nutrition at their garden.
Grassroots Gardens, based in Buffalo and Niagara Falls, believes that “a garden has the power to transform an urban neighborhood” and that gardens “create a shared sense of purpose that empowers a community, creates environmental awareness and improves public health.” They have partnerships with over 20 local schools where they help install and develop curriculum for school gardens. They also run educational programs to inform students of the different aspects of managing gardens.