About Us

The Growing Hope Story

In 2003, Growing Hope became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on school garden development throughout Ypsilanti. Since then, we have expanded to strengthen and support the local food system throughout the community. In 2006, we started the downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market and began managing the Depot Town Farmers Market in 2013. In 2008, we established the Growing Hope Center and Urban Farm where people of all ages learn to grow their own food. The Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace and Growing Hope Incubator Kitchen were completed in 2018 to better support local farmers and food entrepreneurs. In 2020, we adapted to community needs as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic by opening the Ypsi Area Online Market, a year-round online farmers market.

Our programs run out of our two locations, the Growing Hope Urban Farm and the Ypsilanti Farmers Marketplace.

We were

Made TO

Help

Marketplace

The Growing Hope Urban Farm

Our urban farm is a community-based garden education site in Ypsilanti. We offer educational programs for gardeners of all levels, volunteers, and youth of all ages. Our produce is grown to sell at our farmers markets and donate to our program participants, our community produce cart, and local food pantries. 

A woman is kneeling down in a garden surrounded by plants.
A man is standing in a greenhouse looking at plants.
Two young women are working in a garden.
A woman and a child are sitting in a wooden box in a garden.

We were

Made TO

Help

Marketplace

The Ypsilanti Farmers Marketplace

Our Ypsilanti Farmers MarketPlace is a hub for local food activity. The Marketplace hosts the Growing Hope Incubator Kitchen, the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market, and is a distribution center for the Ypsi Area Online Market.

A man is holding two bunches of asparagus in front of a tent.
A large greenhouse is surrounded by a lush green garden.

It takes a community to impact a community. As an independent 501(c)(3) organization, we could not do what we do without the generous financial support of numerous individuals, foundations, and corporations.

We owe tremendous thanks to the following foundations and corporate donors who have made financial commitments to Growing Hope.

Community Partners

Growing Hope maintains partnerships with numerous community agencies and nonprofits in Washtenaw County. These partnerships allow us to deepen our impact and gain greater efficiency and effectiveness in our programming.

  • Argus Farm Stop
  • Bright Futures of EMU in Ypsilanti
  • Center for Regional Food Systems at MSU
  • Eastern Michigan University Community Engagement Council
  • Fair Food Network
  • FedUp Ministries
  • Food Gatherers
  • The Greenbelt Commission
  • Hope Clinic
  • MI FarmLink
  • Michigan Incubator Kitchen Network
  • Michigan Flower Growers Cooperative
  • Michigan Good Food Charter
  • Michigan ICC on Food Policy
  • Michigan Farmers Market Association
  • Michigan Local Food Policy Council Network
  • Michigan Integrated Food and Farming Systems
  • Project Grow
  • The Farm at Trinity Health
  • Washtenaw County Black Farmers Fund
  • Washtenaw County Food Policy Council
  • Washtenaw County Public Health
  • Washtenaw County Office of Community & Economic Development
  • Willow Run Acres
  • Ypsi Peace House
  • Ypsilanti Farm to School Committee
  • Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels
  • Ypsilanti Community Schools Coordinated School Health Team

Community Support

Foundation Supporters

  • Americana Foundation
  • Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation
  • Ann Arbor Farm & Garden
  • Big Green DAO
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation
  • Carls Foundation
  • DTE Energy Foundation
  • Fruit Guys Community Fund
  • James A. & Faith Knight Foundation
  • Joseph & Vera Dresner Foundation
  • Key Bank Foundation
  • Michigan Fitness Foundation
  • Michigan Health Endowment Fund
  • Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation
  • Trinity Health Foundation
  • Toyota Motors North America
  • United Way of Southeast Michigan
  • Washtenaw County Health Department
  • Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development
  • Washtenaw County Racial Equity Office

Corporate & Organization Supporters

Cultivator Sponsors

A domino 's pizza logo on a white background

POP Club Sponsor

The mclaren health plan logo is blue and white on a white background.
  • Bank of Ann Arbor
  • Community Financial Credit Union
  • Comcast
  • Taste the Local Difference
  • Washtenaw Community College
  • Ypsilanti Community Schools
A group of people standing around a table with a podium in the background

Growing Hope advocates for healthy food access, vibrant & sustainable communities, positive neighborhood development, and health equity.

Among these efforts, we are active in a number of city, county, and statewide coalitions and networks. Our recent work includes:


  • Representing the Urban Agricultural seat on the Washtenaw Food Policy Council, and member of the Nutrition and Food Access Policy Action Team. Advocated in the Michigan legislature for increasing Michigan’s 10 Cents a Meal program. 
  • Active member of the Michigan Farmers Market Association. We were the third Farmers Markets in Michigan to accept SNAP/EBT, and one of the first Farmers Markets to participate in the Double Up Food Bucks program. 
  • Advocated for no cuts to SNAP benefits in the most recent U.S. Farm Bill 
  • Helped create Ypsilanti Community School district’s Wellness Policy; sit on the district’s Coordinated School Health Team working to implement the policy goals. 
  • One of the lead founders of the school district’s Farm to School Committee. Advocated for adding school garden goals in the district’s Wellness Policy. 
  • At-large member of Healthy Kids, Healthy Michigan coalition, dedicated to decreasing childhood obesity in Michigan. 
  • Advocated for the passage of the Cottage Food Law, which former governor Jennifer Granholm signed into law at the Growing Hope Center in July 2010.
  • Gathered community input to share best practices in support of Urban Chicken and Urban Bee legislation in the City of Ypsilanti, recently passed.
  • Participated in focus groups, task forces, and summit that created the Michigan Good Food Charter, working to raise awareness among elected officials. 
Share by: