Garden Classrooms

Grow Together is fundraising for a garden at 12th and Chicon, one of the highest crime areas of Austin, and situated near River City Hope Street, the non-profit umbrella under which we serve. Grow Together uses teams of volunteers to support four community gardens serving distinct populations in Austin: refugees, children in foster care, the elderly and food pantry clients. Our mission is to reach out to more populations in need, using the garden as a catalyst to grow relationships and improve lives.

Nonquit Street Neighborhood Association and Land Trust, founded in 1992, bridges the gap between nature and culture in the community. It serves the higher spiritual needs of residents as a necessity, not a luxury, in the low-income community of Upham's Corner, Dorchester. With many volunteers, NSNALT has organized clean-ups of local properties, persuaded property owners to make specific improvements and enhancements, and transformed two desolate spaces at opposite ends of a 400-ft.

The Norcrest Sensory Garden is an inclusive educational garden that provides opportunities for all students including children with special needs to develop sensory integration outdoors. It invites and encourages curiosity, creativity, and exploration. It is designed to engage all 5 senses, increasing concentration and attention. Outdoor education provides a relaxed learning environment, can engage the disengaged and importantly, makes learning fun.

Centro de Salud Esperanza (Esperanza Health Center), in cooperation with Telpochcalli School, has established a community garden to help low-income, Mexican-American immigrant families experience gardening and learn about healthy eating. Our garden helps to pass the knowledge of plants and gardening from mothers who grew up in an agrarian culture to their children who are growing up in an urban environment. Over the coming year our program will:

*Provide raised bed gardening space (1/2 of a 4' X 12' bed)to a total of 18 families