Eos Grantees in the News
A Place in the Sun: Growing Places Garden Project
In the famous saying, “Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.” But how about teaching him—or her—to grow a garden? That’s the idea behind Growing Places Garden Project , an Eos grantee based in Clinton, Massachusetts.
Inspired by the example of the Home Gardening Project Foundation in Oregon, friends Kate Deyst and Cindy Buhner founded Growing Places Garden Project (GPGP) in late 2001. With a handful of clients, they helped build five gardens the first season. In the years since—armed with a band of humus-loving volunteers—GPGP has helped 166 low-income families construct their own gardens and learn to plant and tend them. Each garden is personalized, taking into account clients’ dietary needs, preferences, and physical abilities, and is designed to be maintained without harmful chemicals or pesticides.
Volunteers visit during the summer to offer guidance, and clients are provided with healthy recipes. The second year, clients receive seeds and seedlings, and GPGP is always available for consultations and advice on problematic plants. In March 2008, GPGP hired its first full-time Executive Director, Jodi Breidel, in order to expand the reach of the organization and deliver a higher level of service to its constituents. In its seven years, GPGP’s gardens have directly provided food for approximately 550 people. Donations are welcome--$10 can buy hand tools for clients, and $500 can fund a complete garden.
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