Home Gardens
Home Gardens is now recruiting Crew Leaders receive garden-building and leadership training and lead small groups of volunteers to build gardens at homes with participants in our Home Gardens program. Required: 6 hour training Saturday October 14, lead installations (5 hours each) on 10/21 & 10/28. Space is limited. For more information or to sign up contact: emily@new.growing-gardens.org
Here is a quote from one of our crew leaders about their experience: ”
Working with Growing Gardens as a Crew Leader has given me an incredible amount of insight and experience in multiple veins. Being involved in this organization is a great way to network with like-minded social-justice or gardening oriented folks. The role serves to develop confidence in gardening, leadership and organizational skills while providing an incredible opportunity to be of service to members of our community. The perspective that I have received from working with this program and organization is unparalleled.”
Here are some details about what being a crew leader involves (and how much fun it is)!
The training day involves sitting down at a round table with some coffee and donuts for a brief info session and step by step instruction for the garden build… and then we hit the road, carpooling to a gardeners home. Each step of training involves hands on experience, problem solving, discussion around how to support fellow volunteers and tackle some of the harder questions we are asked about the work Growing Gardens does for the community. We break for lunch between gardens (sometimes we eat at the first site, sometimes we travel before we eat) and then we go through the process again – building a second garden. After we are all wrapped up, we have a quick debrief and then some of us stick around to grab a quick bite or beverage afterword.
The installation day on 10/21 mirrors the original training day, with some minor exceptions… we meet at a park, central to the gardeners homes and do a brief welcome and info session – and then we’re off… only, this time – our Crew Leaders take the lead on directing the build (staff are available to problem solve if needed) and coordinating your volunteers efforts. Lunch – round two – and farewell.
The last installation day is a super fun event! You can read more about the event here: https://new.growing-gardens.org/dotb/ It’s basically the same schedule and role – though this last time, you’ll be leading a group of folks that have been actively fundraising for Growing Gardens and may have done several garden builds in the previous years. We meet a little later in the morning, we do group photos (it’s also a big costume party) and then we hit the road for the ONE garden build of the day. After the build, we return to our meeting place and we PARTY! We feed everyone, give out prizes, we celebrate the hard work of the season and we enjoy each others company!
Youth Grow
Youth Grow would like to thank the Portland Timbers Community Fund for selecting us to receive an $8,000 grant to assist with STEM education through school gardens. This grant will allow Youth Grow to continue to organize and sustain school gardens, and to create garden-based curriculum that is culturally appropriate to the students.
Fall Garden Club Volunteer Opportunity
Would you like to teach a group of elementary school kids about growing food and encourage outdoor garden play? If yes then consider lending a hand to our after-school clubs at partner schools!
Site locations include Northeast, Southeast Portland, and Gresham. This fall we’re seeking volunteers at Lent, Kelly, Davis, Cherry Park, Wood, and Scott schools. To view our partner school locations click here.
As a volunteer, you will be committing to one afternoon a week for an 8 week session. The Fall term runs from October to December between the hours of 2-6 pm once a week. The exact times vary school to school, some are 3-5, some are 2:45-4:30, etc. For more information, contact: pesha@new.growing-gardens.org. To apply for fall term fill out the online Youth Grow Application.
Youth Grow is very excited to announce that we are a recipient of the Portland Timbers Community Fund Grant for $8,000. This grant will assist with STEM education through school gardens. This grant will allow Youth Grow to continue to organize and sustain school gardens, and to create garden-based curriculum that is culturally appropriate to the students.
Lettuce Grow
State Senator Lew Fredrick and State Representative
Tawna D. Sanchez (District 43), along with several people from the Salem Department of Corrections visited our garden program at Columbia River Correctional Institution on September 8th. They were met by group of inmate gardeners who showed them the garden, explained how the program works and offered the visitors samples of the food being grown.
When Senator Fredrick asked an inmate what they would be doing if they were not in the Lettuce Grow Program, the inmate told him, “I’d be doing nothing, sitting on my bunk or watching television. Instead I am out in the garden learning new things and growing food for myself and the other inmates. When I am out here I feel like I am doing something useful.”
Save the Date!
On Thursday, November 2nd Growing Gardens will be having a storytelling event with Morgan St. Theater. This event is open to ice cream fans of all ages. Each story will be paired with an ice cream inspired by the performance. Come eat, enjoy and learn more about Growing Gardens! Details to follow.