Powering Community Gardens Across the US

Reflecting on a Year of Growth: School Gardens Across the U.S.

As the year comes to a close, we’re reflecting on all we accomplished in 2024. A big focus of our work the last 2 years has been to expand our domestic program, with a focus on school, youth and community garden programs across the US. This year, we worked in 31 states, partnering with over 32 primary implementing organizations. These partners collaborate with dozens of other local groups to bring school, community, and youth gardens to life, reaching families and children facing food insecurity. Together, we’re making strides in closing the fresh food equity gap in our country.

Why School Gardens Matter

Fresh, nutritious food is vital for growing minds and healthy bodies. Yet, for many children in the United States, access to fresh fruits and vegetables remains out of reach. According to the CDC, 49% of American children do not eat a daily vegetable, a stark statistic that highlights the disparities many families face. School gardens are a powerful tool to bridge this gap. They not only provide access to fresh produce but also teach children about nutrition, sustainability, and the joys of growing their own food.

Our Commitment to Equity

This year, we’ve seen firsthand how school gardens can transform communities. By providing resources, training, and support, our implementing partners are addressing food insecurity at its roots. These gardens offer more than just food; they foster resilience, build community, and inspire hope. Through this work, we’re committed to engaging children and communities into garden programs, with the belief that everybody, regardless of their zip code, should have access to healthy, nutritious, fresh food.

Highlights of 2024

• Expanding Our Reach: With projects in 31 states, our school garden initiatives are reaching more communities than ever before.
• Building Partnerships: Our 32 primary partners, many of whom work with a network of additional organizations, have been instrumental in amplifying the impact of this program.
• Empowering Youth: Thousands of children have engaged in hands-on gardening experiences, gaining skills that will last a lifetime.

Looking Ahead

As we plan for the year ahead, we’re excited to expand this work and deepen our commitment to fresh food equity. School gardens are a seed of change, and with your support, we’re planting a brighter, healthier future for children and families across the nation.

Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we’re growing a movement—one garden, one child, and one community at a time.

Community gardens have proven to be a valuable resource in promoting food equity and access to fresh, nutritious produce across the United States. For many urban and rural communities alike, they serve as a lifeline, offering a sustainable solution to food insecurity while fostering a greater sense of local engagement and environmental stewardship. 

As we’ve discussed before, we have been harnessing this knowledge to expand our programming in the USA to make a greater difference in these communities. This year, we have made two new partnerships to focus on spreading gardening with kids, nature-based learning, gardens as a space for play, and environmental education.

We know that this particular involvement with children provides not only benefit from fresh food but also from hands-on, nature-based education. These two exciting new partnerships are with Kids Gardening and ChangeX, which will help expand community gardens and make healthy food more accessible to underserved populations.

Kids Gardening, a nonprofit that empowers children through garden-based learning, has been instrumental in integrating gardening into school curriculums and after-school programs. With their expertise and their network, we are providing free access to vegetable seed for all gardens that are a part of the Kids Gardening network. By providing seed free of cost, we are lowering the burden for these oftentimes low-resourced community gardens, allowing them to use their precious financial resources on other items, including paying salaries of those running them. These gardens provide an opportunity for children to learn about the science of plants, environmental sustainability, and the importance of nutrition—all through experiential learning. By working together, we can cultivate a new generation of young learners who are connected to nature and equipped with the skills to grow their own food, fostering a lifelong appreciation for fresh, healthy produce. In June, we launched 5 new partnerships with garden programs through Kids Gardening, and we look forward to even more!

Our collaboration with ChangeX, an organization focused on funding and supporting social change initiatives, brings an additional layer of support to our community garden expansion efforts. Through ChangeX's platform, communities will gain access to the resources needed to start and sustain their own gardens. These resources include seed funding, expert guidance, and toolkits that help local leaders build and maintain their gardens. Together, we aim to spread gardens in areas where they are needed most, ensuring food equity by empowering neighborhoods to grow their own produce and take ownership of their food systems. With ChangeX, so far we have helped 5 community gardens receive support, a garden manual and seed funding!

Ultimately, these partnerships allow us to accelerate the spread of community gardens across the U.S., bringing fresh food and nature-based education to more children and families. Community gardens are a powerful tool for improving health outcomes and addressing food insecurity, especially in marginalized communities. With Kids Gardening and ChangeX by our side, we are excited to continue making a difference, one garden at a time, as we grow a future where every community has access to fresh food and children learn to care for the earth that sustains us all.

Thank you for your support and being on this journey with us. Any donation, big or small, allows us to increase fresh food access and garden learning in the USA, where over 12.8% of all households struggle with food insecurity annually.