Will deliver garden education and resources throughout Vermont
Hannah Harrington, Caroline Aubry, Michelle Gates and Joseph Kiefer from the Vermont Community Garden Network are the recipients of Lawson’s Finest Liquids Sunshine Fund for July 2021.
Vermont Business Magazine Two recent gifts will allow the Vermont Community Garden Network to take the show on the road, bringing workshops to gardens, field trips to schools and plants and seeds to those who need them.
Thanks to a grant from the Vermont Foodbank and a generous donation from Lawson’s Finest Liquids, they’re implementing a new project - purchasing & customizing a van to deliver garden education and supplies throughout the state. This new mobile classroom and resource center will bring interactive, hands on gardening and nutrition education and related supplies to people where they need them.
This project was developed in direct response to emerging needs during the pandemic, which continue to persist. The interest in gardening and the crucial role in food security, health and human connections it plays in our communities has grown. More people are asking for development and support of food gardens from diverse locations, and for gardening education and supplies to be more accessible within their own communities.
“We’re excited to reach additional communities, strengthen garden education and more broadly distribute tools and resources people need to grow some of their own food. Our goal is to address another piece of the sustainable food access puzzle which exists for families in affordable housing, rural communities and summer school and camp programs across Vermont. All while collaborating with partners to reach shared objectives in resident wellness, community connections and resiliency.” Michelle Gates, Executive Director, Vermont Community Garden Network.
The organization is currently working to acquire an appropriate vehicle and will convert it into a portable workshop for program delivery beginning in the spring of 2022.
Source: Vermont Community Garden Network https://vcgn.org/