Planting it Forward in Sacramento
Urban farms are feeding the world – one inner city at a time.
Imagine Sacramento offering a “People’s Garden” which would provide fresh organic produce for the area’s homeless and needy. The garden would also serve the people of Sacramento as an outdoor classroom and a community hub for all ages. What if Sacramento offered a garden project where their locally grown food is sold to restaurants, at Farmers Markets and community organizations with similar aims of improving neighborhood food security. Individuals who would be hired to work the large garden program would see the farm as a place for self-growth and healthy community development, while beautifying their neighborhood.
One company is offering a huge opportunity for cities like Sacramento to partake in such an idea. Nature’s Path Organic believes that urban farming is a model of sustainability that can help make fresh, organic food available to everyone.
“Our goal is to plant it forward”, notes Arran Stephens, founder and CEO of Nature’s Path. “By providing access to healthy, organic food and the education needed to grow it, we hope to encourage and cultivate socially responsible community leaders who will bring people together to feed those in need.”
In 2011 Nature’s Path is putting their money where their hearts are by offering GARDENS for GOOD program, providing $65,000 in funding to support 3 urban farm projects. Have a project in mind?
Here is how you can get involved:
1. Nominate: visit www.facebook.com/NaturesPath and “Like” Gardens for Good to enter an urban farming project into this year’s grant contest.
2. Participate: View applications and vote for the project that you believe is making the greatest impact on their community.
3. Activate: Spread the word and activate your community to support urban farming in your neighborhood. Help their mission go viral!
Sacramento – are you ready to make a difference and start planting your “People’s Garden”? Plant it Forward!!