Get Involved!-Grassroots Organizations

Grassroots Organizations in NYC

Grow NYC (https://www.grownyc.org) is the biggest grassroots organization doing local gardening work in the city. They have a network of green farmer’s markets with fresh produce, and work with textile and food recycling, school and community gardens, and childhood education programs. Much of their work is done on their Governor’s Island teaching garden, but they can also take schools on tours of their local greenmarkets, recycling plants, and many other initiatives.

Battery Urban Farm (http://thebattery.org/about-us/urban-farm/) was created with the help of students from a local high school. They have a garden in Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, and work with oyster restoration in the Hudson River. The farm follows NGSS and Core standards to educate students in K-12. The food that is grown is donated to local public schools and shelters.

Green Guerrillas (http://www.greenguerillas.org) helps communities find materials and volunteers to create their own gardens. They have several programs such as neighborhood harvesting and even a “youth farm”!

La Familia Verde (http://www.lafamiliaverde.org) is based in some of the poorest neighborhoods in the Bronx and has a coalition of community gardens in the Crotona, East Tremont and West Farms. They have events to celebrate culinary cultures, and create community gardens with participants who are entirely from the communities themselves.

Just Food (http://justfood.org) trains volunteers to be chefs and organizes workshops on gardening. A lot of their focus is on introduction more vegetables and nutrition.

596 Acres (http://596acres.org) has a lot of interactive online features to track data about empty lots and future sites. They connect community members interested in gardening with the means to do so

http://596acres.org

 

Grassroots Organizations in the USA

FoodCorps (https://foodcorps.org) is committed to improving school cafeteria and bake sale options, to celebrate healthy food in schools. They also teach cooking and gardening in hands-on lessons. Their nutrition education seeks to reduce rates of health problems in children.

National Garden Clubs (http://www.gardenclub.org/youth/youth-gardening.aspx) seeks to create a love of nature in children, and increase interest in wildlife, plant and tree protection. They use gardening to teach math, reading, writing, raise science test scores, and work with composting and recycling.

Grassroots Gardens WNY (https://www.grassrootsgardens.org/about-us.html) help communities manage gardens and green spaces. They work in upstate New York and other parts of the US to use a 100% community driven model.