Gardens 4 Humanity

What is Gardens 4 Humanity?

Gardens 4 Humanity (G4H) is a community-driven food justice organization that promotes economic, personal, and neighborhood empowerment, and health through education, urban gardening and local farm connections. We currently offer:

• Neighborhood Gardening Services
• G4H Educator & Leader Trainings
• Summer, School & Afterschool Garden Programs
• Teen Programming
• Affordable and free food plants at Juneteenth

Raised beds and picnic tables

G4H has assisted in the creation or support of several educational and community garden sites in Tompkins County since it's inception in 2009. These gardens have installed features such as raised bed vegetable and herb gardens, berry patches, rain catchment systems and more. There are currently more than 50 active community and school food gardens and orchards across Tompkins County. View a map of these community gardens.

NEIGHBORHOOD GARDENING SERVICE

Gardens 4 Humanity seeks to address food insecurity, food access issues and diet related health issues directly through the creation of small-scale educational gardens in easy to access neighborhood locations. We also provide vegetable, herb and fruit plants, work days and volunteers, and connections to related CCE programming such as Community Chefs. In 2012, G4H is seeking funding to support two neighborhood garden coordinators who will assist G4H staff in program delivery, manage neighborhood gardens and organize garden-related community events.

Chestnut Garden: contact Ana Ortiz at (585) 410-9815
Dryden Community Garden: contact Kerra Quinn via email kerraquinn@gmail.com Northside Neighborhood: Zale Hutchinson Southside Neighborhood: Monica

G4H GARDEN EDUCATOR AND LEADER TRAINING

A 20 hour training to create more garden educators and garden leaders in our community. This hands-on training covers topics including gardening basics, effectively teaching kids and adults in and out of the classroom setting, and garden and food related activities. Contact Josh Dolan (607) 272-2292 or email jd285@cornell.edu

SCHOOL & AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING

G4H offers afterschool gardening programs at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School, Southside Community Center, GIAC and West Village Urban 4-H Program. We will begin a new afterschool program for Dryden Elementary in Spring 2012. For information OR with questions about getting G4H into your school, contact Josh Dolan at (607) 272-2292 or email jd285@cornell.edu

TEEN PROGRAMMING

G4H is working with GIAC and the Youth Advocate Program (YAP) to provide diverse gardening and agriculture related work experiences, helping to prepare youth for potential employment in the food system. G4H teen participants will be instrumental during the 2012 gardening season in new garden construction, plant production, garden maintnence and outreach activities.

AFFORDABLE AND FREE FOOD PLANTS

Every year, G4H grows a wide variety of heirloom and organic vegetable starts for sale at the annual Plant Sale (link) AND collects donated vegetable starts from local growers to redistibute in the community. In 2012, G4H will also be seeling our starts at Congo Square Market and the Ithaca Children's Garden (links). The sale of plants supports the purchase of raw materials for the creation of new gardens such as soil and compost, lumber and tools. G4H also produces starts for planting in the gardens that we support. Beginning in Late May, G4H will give away our remaining plants.

Last updated July 26, 2019