Garden City Harvest Inc

Programs: Garden city harvest has been in operation since 1996 and now manages 20 farm and gardens throughout missoula, montana's urban core. Its mission is enacted through four main programs described as follows: community gardens - this program rents garden plots to community members, and teaches them how to grow food to feed their families. Each community garden provides participants with a 15 by 15 foot plot, tools, water, compost, common space and the knowledge and guidance of leadership committee members and the garden city harvest community garden's staff. In 2017, garden city harvest rented 380 garden plots at 9 garden locations, primarily in high density, low to moderate income neighborhoods in missoula. Farm to school - this robust program offers experiential, hands-on learning for students in grades k-12, encouraging them to explore connections between farming and the food they eat. The program manages 7 school gardens, promotes and grows local food for school lunches, offers in-class lessons during the school year, and farm field trips and garden lessons during the growing season. This program serves roughly 6,500 students per year. Neighborhood farms - garden city harvest's four neighborhood farms grow tons of healthy, nutritious produce using sustainable methods. The food is made accessible to everyone in the community, regardless of income. In addition, more than 45,000 pounds of food is distributed each year through subsidized markets, and emergency service agencies like the food bank and homeless shelter. Youth development - this program offers employment and volunteer opportunities to more than 50 teens annually on two urban farms. The teens, who are struggling with overwhelming personal challenges, learn job and life skills geared to help them transition successfully into young adulthood. Their work includes mobile farm stands for low income senior citizens. While the teens offer access to fresh produce at affordable prices, they also make meaningful connections with elders in their community. In late 2017, construction was completed on the river road farmstead. This permanent organizational home is located at their flagship site. The farmstead will allow the organization to expand upon its work to reduce food insecurity and to make this a healthier, more connected community for the 20,000 residents it impacts each year.