GARDEN CITY HARVEST INC

GARDEN CITY HARVEST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1996 AS THE COMMUNITY'S PROACTIVE SOLUTION TO FOOD INSECURITY TO ENSURE PEOPLE COULD MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS FOR NUTRITIOUS FOOD. THE FARMING AND GARDENING NONPROFIT CURRENTLY MANAGES 22 FARMS, COMMUNITY GARDENS, AND SCHOOL GARDENS THROUGHOUT MISSOULA, MONTANA. ITS MISSION IS ENACTED THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS ON WHICH MORE THAN 20,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS RELY EACH YEAR. THE COMMUNITY GARDENS PROGRAM OFFERS PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AFFORDABLY GROW FOOD TO FEED THEIR OWN FAMILIES. ROUGHLY 65% OF PARTICIPANTS LIVE IN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS WHERE BUDGETS ARE TIGHT. GARDEN CITY HARVEST PROVIDES THE INDIVIDUAL GARDEN PLOTS, TOOLS, WATER, COMPOST, AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE OF OTHERS TO ENSURE GARDENERS' SUCCESS. EACH YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION RENTS 435 GARDEN PLOTS AT 11 GARDEN LOCATIONS, PRIMARILY IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE FOOD INSECURITY IS GREATEST. GARDEN CITY HARVEST'S FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM PROVIDES EXPERIENTIAL, HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO K-12 STUDENTS, ENCOURAGING THEM TO EXPLORE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FARMING AND THE FOOD THEY EAT. FARM TO SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS MANAGE EIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GARDENS, OFFER IN-CLASS LESSONS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND EDUCATIONAL FARM FIELD TRIPS AND GARDEN LESSONS DURING THE GROWING SEASON. THIS PROGRAM SERVES ROUGHLY 5,500 STUDENTS PER YEAR. THE NEIGHBORHOOD FARMS PROGRAM GROWS TONS OF FRESH PRODUCE AT FOUR URBAN FARMS, MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. GARDEN CITY HARVEST USES ITS WELL-ESTABLISHED LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION NETWORK WITH OVER A DOZEN PARTNER AGENCIES TO GET THIS FOOD TO MISSOULA'S MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS. GARDEN CITY HARVEST PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE AND REGENERATIVE FARMING PRACTICES AT ALL OF ITS SITES, WHICH PROMOTES SOIL HEALTH AND HELPS TO LESSEN THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. GARDEN CITY HARVEST'S YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OFFERS EMPLOYMENT AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROUGHLY 25 TEENS ANNUALLY AT THE YOUTH FARM. THERE, TEENS WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH OVERWHELMING PERSONAL CHALLENGES LEARN JOB AND LIFE SKILLS, BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, AND GAIN SELF-CONFIDENCE. THROUGH THIS WORK, THEY GAIN THE TOOLS TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, MAKING NUTRIENT RICH PRODUCE ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE TO EVERYONE. WE OPERATE SEVERAL FARM STANDS THAT SERVE SENIORS AND LOW INCOME FAMILIES, SELLING FRESH PRODUCE AT DEEPLY DISCOUNTED PRICES. WE OFFER SLIDING SCALE PRICING (BASED ON HOUSEHOLD INCOME) FOR ALL OF OUR SERVICES. OUR VOLUNTEER FOR VEGGIES PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN SUSTAINABLE FARMING BY WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR STAFF AND RECEIVING VEGETABLES IN RETURN. IN ADDITION, THIS WORK BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER AND CONNECTS THEM IN SIMPLE YET MEANINGFUL WAYS. ALL OF THIS COMBINES TO MAKE THIS A HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITY.