Organizations Filed Purposes:
We offer a variety of programs in an effort to increase the success of community gardens at housing sites, senior residences, workplaces and more. We advocate for gardening as a method to increase our community's wellness from the healthy diet options it provides, and the benefits realized from the physical act itself.
The Thriving Gardens Grant program helps implement valuable projects promoting gardening in the name of food security, mental and physical wellbeing, hands on learning, skills-building and community resiliency. In 2019 we provided funding, training and planning assistance to move forward garden improvements and new garden start-ups for 15 garden grantees, including seven "Gardens for Learning" sites (youth summer gardening, cooking, nutrition programs). Through activites and engagement at these gardens, an estimated 1,400 people were impacted this season."In a community that can often feel isolating, this helped keep folks interested in something along with providing healthy food options."
Our garden support for seven affordable housing sites benefitted 103 households in Chittenden County in 2019. VCGN provides expert technical assistance related to garden design and infrastructure, resident engagement, and garden management. Residential managers help engage staff and provide ongoing infrastructure support. The 7-month long program included over 100 hours spent directly with resident gardeners in the delivery of a comprehensive support program for each site that included coordinating garden opening and closing days, two hands-on food preservation workshops, bi-monthly technical support hours, and editing a bi-monthly garden newsletter for residents. In addition to the direct benefit for housing site residents who gain access to fresh, healthy food, this relationship builds the capacity of housing site staff and management to better serve their constituents."I really loved all the help, the check-ins, the onsite assistance, and the free plants make a huge difference."
The Community Teaching Garden (CTG) Course is a unique garden education program offered by the Vermont Community Garden Network to teach adults how to grow their own food in a fun, supportive, and cooperative learning environment. Throughout the 24 week course, students learn through class instruction while individually maintaining their own 80 square foot garden bed. Shared garden space is avaiable for select vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers, and monthly make-and-take lessons in food preservation and herbalism demonstrate how to use these staples. The beginner course was held at the Ethan Allen Homestead, and this year was a transitional season for the CTG site at the Intervale, which was designated as a community partnership garden. In collaboration with Feeding Chittenden, at least two-thirds of the garden was planted with crops that were donated to the food shelf."I don't tell people that I'm just taking a gardening class. I joke that this has become my therapy session, my workout space, a place for new friendships, a meditation space, and of course a place where I learn how to grow things."
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| Michelle Gates | Executive Director | 40 | $59,616 |
| Sylvia Kopec | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| Bill Wooden | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| Jonathan Roddy | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| Jennifer Black Leithead | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| Juliana Dixon | Director | 0.5 | $0 |
| Casey Sullivan | Secretary | 0.5 | $0 |
| Josh Donabedian | Treasurer | 0.5 | $0 |
| Joseph Kiefer | Vice President | 0.5 | $0 |
| Hannah Harrington | President | 2 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/202003299349300400_public.xml