Do you and your family want to grow your own food?
The Home Vegetable Garden Program seeks to increase access to healthy food for low income Ypsilanti residents through installing free raised bed gardens and providing one on one garden support at family homes, community centers, housing facilities, apartment complexes and religious institutions. Program participants are provided free garden beds, along with seedlings, seeds, and other necessary tools and supplies. We want to help participants garden dreams come true, and are here to support you on your journey! In addition to the materials, we offer each gardener a mid-season visit from our staff, as well as pairing you with a seasoned gardener for additional support.
Gardens provide participants with opportunities to build resiliency through increased community engagement, opportunities for inter-generational experiences, and improvements in their health from exercise and increased consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
What can you expect from Growing Hope from this program?
- Installation of wooden garden beds or containers (for those households that do not have a yard for raised beds).
- Compost & soil to fill all the beds
- Free seedling distribution for spring, summer and fall crops. This includes vegetable, herb and flower seedlings and
seed packets of your choice - Hand-outs on gardening, and access to our lending library of gardening books
- A mid-season visit to your garden from Growing Hope staff to answer garden related questions
- Free monthly hands on gardening workshops at the Growing Hope urban farm
- A network of fellow gardeners
What does Growing Hope expect from you?
- Attend the program orientation
- Participation in the garden installation process to the best of your physical ability
- Pick up your plants and seeds during the distribution dates (or send a friend to pick them up for you)
- Complete and return survey and evaluations in a timely manner
- Live in Ypsilanti or Ypsi township
- Have an understanding that it is your responsibility to care for your garden; we are happy to offer advice if you
encounter challenges, you will need to make time for regular maintenance - Enjoy the fruits of your labor!
Application are closed for 2019
If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Bee Ayer, Director of Programs [email protected], 734-786-8401.
Want to share with a friend, download a flyer Here.
Home Vegetable Garden Program Basic Timeline
- February- Growing Hope starts growing seedlings
- February- HVGP Mentorship Applications Open
- March- New Gardener Applications Open
- March- Garden Mentor Orientation & New Gardener Orientations
- April- Garden Installations
- April- Spring seedling distribution
- May- Summer seedling distribution
- July- Fall seedling distributions
- July- Summer visits to gardens by GH Staff and Teen Interns
- April-October- Free monthly garden workshops
- October- Season celebration & Evaluation
