[Community_garden] Community_garden Digest, Vol 107, Issue 3

[Judith Gardner]

Dear Kristin,

We have much of what you are describing here in Detroit, but not centered in 
one "director" and without (as yet) the arts component.

There is an active collaboration, the Garden Resource Program, developed and 
run by four organizations:  The Greening of Detroit (a non-profit dedicated 
to reforesting the city), the Earthworks Garden (a project of the Capuchin 
Brotherhood, the Michigan State Extension Service (a state sponsored 
agricultural education service), and the Detroit Agricultural Network (a 
network of family and community gardens with deep, and ever-expanding, roots 
in the community.)

The Garden Resource program provides material and educational resources 
(everything from seeds and seedlings, compost and coffee bags, tool banks, 
and an extensive array of horticulture, community organizing, cooking and 
nutrition, marketing and composting classes) to member family and community 
gardens.

It has developed a team of organizers and horticulturists who work for one 
of the above organizations or are AmeriCore Volunteers or just plain unpaid 
volunteers.  To me the genius of it is that it is a real training ground for 
community activists.  Although one could legitimately say that Ashley 
Atkinson, from the Greening of Detroit, has been the major engine of its 
development, she is such a good organizer that the leadership is truly 
decentralized.

Hope this helps.

Judy from Detroit


>From: "Kristin Faurest" <kfaurest at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: faurest.kristin at chello.hu
>To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
>Subject: Re: [Community_garden] Community_garden Digest, Vol 107, Issue 3
>Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:51:11 +0000
>
>Hi everyone!
>I am looking around for good examples of cities where an organization (i.e.
>a nonprofit such as a neighborhood design center or similar group) employs 
>a
>director of community garden initiatives whose job is focused on upgrading
>current gardens, introducing opportunities for outreach, educational 
>series,
>concerts, art projects, etc. that all center around the gardens as sort of
>outdoor community centers.
>Any suggestions on successful examples?
>thanks very much as always!!
>Kristin Faurest, Budapest
>
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