Evansville, Indiana's Young & Established has set its sights on growing a new goal and it involves cultivating a sustainable community garden, but they need our help.

Growing Community

With a mission to work for the betterment of the community, Young & Established strives to inspire and motivate the youth in the area to reach their full potential through mentorship, after-school programs, and other invaluable resources that the organization provides to kids in the community. The organization and its facility work to super-serve those in grades 5 and up with everything from homework help and enrichment activities (like learning to cook), to a clothes closet and food pantry but the latest project is one we are excited to watch grow (pun intended!)

Cultivating Resources

Easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables is something many of us take for granted but for some in the Evansville area, it can be a challenge to access those much-needed nutrient-dense foods. Evansville's Young & Established has a plan to make fresh produce more readily available to those living on the city's south side.

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Granddaddy's Garden Spot

Passed down through several generations, the plot of land now known as Granddaddy's Garden Spot, located in what Young & Established founder Courtney Johnson calls a "food desert," will be home to a community garden making fresh produce easily accessible  to those who need it, while also building on four key components:

  • Knowledge of growing/using fresh produce.
  • Agriculture self-sustainability
  • Teaching how to obtain a healthy lifestyle through agriculture.
  • Entrepreneurship in agriculture

In a Ted-X talk, Ron Finley, who is known as the "Guerilla Gardener" in South Central Los Angeles, says that "growing your own food is like printing your own money" as he talks about how a $1 package of seeds can produce the equivalent of $75 worth of fresh produce that you would buy at the store.

Getting It Off the Ground

In order to turn the vacant lot into the sustainable agricultural hub for Young & Established, there is a lot of work to be done and that work requires tools and supplies for things like fencing, raised beds, and even a chicken coup. The project is eligible for a matching grant from the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority. This means that if Young & Established can raise its goal of $50,000, the IHCDA will contribute an additional $50,000 to bring the project to fruition.

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How You Can Help

You can make a monetary donation to help fund Granddaddy's Garden Spot through the online fundraiser. You can also mail or drop off your donation at the Young & Established facility located at 1308 Vann Avenue in Evansville (47714) and perhaps the simplest and easiest way for you to help after you've made a donation is to spread the word about the project online through social media. If you have additional questions, you can reach out by calling (812) 568-0607 or emailing youngxestablished@gmail.com.

[Source: Young & Established]

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