Inter-Faith Food Shuttle is taking community gardening on the road with a newly launched initiative called Gardens For Everyone. This new program will build raised-bed garden boxes in backyards and community spaces for anyone interested in growing their own food. Gardens for Everyone provides community members with a safe and sustainable way to access nutritious food.
The challenges of social distancing and stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19 make it even more important than ever for individuals and families to be able to grow food at home. “As an extension of our successful Community Gardening Program, Gardens For Everyone addresses the limitations associated with normal community gardens, like having transportation to get to the garden and having childcare available to be able to work at your garden space. With the addition of all the COVID-19 restrictions, being able to grow your own fresh produce right outside your door assures that your family has a convenient and affordable way to eat delicious, fresh food all year long,” said Kay Coleman, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Urban Agriculture Manager. “Additional benefits of having your own garden are the physical exercise, mental rest, and a nutritious harvest that a garden provides. Gardening is good for your health and your soul.”
This program is being piloted in Wake and Durham Counties, and is open to any individual, family, or organization wanting to grow their own food at home or for their community. Having enough sunlight, water, and space are the only requirements for receiving a garden box. To make the program affordable, Inter-Faith Food Shuttle has a pay-what-you-can policy with a minimum contribution of $25 from individuals or families, and a maximum of $200 from organizations and those that are able to contribute the entire cost. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford to pay the minimum.
The program is launching thanks to support from Tito’s Handmade Vodka’s Love, Tito’s Block to Block program, a program aiming to make fresh, nutritious food available through the creation of community gardens and farms, one block at a time, and a grant by Pure Farmland’s Pure Growth Project, which supports community and neighborhood gardens across the country.
Inter-Faith Food Shuttle will provide a virtual beginning gardening class called Seed to Supper for all Gardens For Everyone garden box recipients. These classes will help new gardeners learn how to create a beautiful and productive garden at home. There will also be additional garden support from the Food Shuttle community gardens: Camden Street Learning Garden in Wake County and Geer Street Learning Garden in Durham County.
Applications are now open and accepted year-round. To learn more about this new exciting project, please click here or contact GardensForEveryone@FoodShuttle.org.