News From the Garden
As we welcome August we’re taking a moment to reflect on our gardens so far this season, and share some highlights with those of you who support and care about our work.
The Growing Food Growing Health garden at West Middle School, now in its 15th season, is going strong. Combined harvest from this garden, along with our Growing Food Growing Hope garden at First Step at Lake View, now in its 7th season, is an impressive 1,982 lbs. All of this harvest, plus donations from our friends at Pearl Clark Community Garden, KState Master Gardeners, and supplemental purchases from Mellowfields Farm, adds up to well over a ton of produce offered at no cost through our weekly Free Market at Edgewood Homes, now in its 5th season.
The Free Market is where we connect with community, build relationships, and do our part in creating food justice in our little corner of this sometimes-crazy world of ours.
This crew of Student Gardeners – Annah and Elinor, both in their third season; Felix in his second season; and new-this-year Arbor and Rory - work hard, sweating it out in really hot temps, getting soaked in a few downpours, and pulling what can seem like tons of weeds.
In addition to hard work, these gardeners also have big hearts, bringing compassion and respect to all they do - from serving customers at the market, to cutting bouquets with First Step residents, giving them something positive as they struggle to regain their lives back from addictions.
We are committed to the work of Growing Food Growing Health and Growing Food Growing Hope. If you want to help build future leaders with a vision of sharing beautiful produce with care and dignity, please consider a donation to Growing Food Growing Health. We invite you to click this link to donate through our PayPal account or send a check by mail to PO Box 3536 Lawrence, KS 66046. Thank you for joining hands with us in supporting this work.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Nancy O’Connor
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Deb Rake – President
Boog Highberger – Vice President
Judy Paley – Secretary
Will Katz – Treasurer
Jill Elmers, Susan Harper, Michel Loomis, Susan Tate
Community Mercantile Education Foundation dba Growing Food Growing Health is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID number 48-1214248.