12/11/14 – Gateway Greening Community Gardens Helping To Feed St. Louis

As the St. Louis region works to fight against hunger, fresh produce being grown in Gateway Greening-supported gardens in the area is helping to ensure that countless individuals and children are getting the food and nutritional support they need. During 2014 alone, gardeners harvested 193,000 pounds of food to the St. Louis community, valued at over $639,000.

Recipients of the fresh fruits and vegetables included Operation Food Search and St. Patrick’s Center, as well as area churches, food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and farmers’ markets. Additional quantities of produce were used in educational cooking demonstrations and provided area students with healthy school lunches and snacks.

Gateway Greening currently supports more than 200 community and youth gardens across the St. Louis area which are independently managed. The majority of the food grown is utilized by growers, some of whom informally donate any surplus they may generate. Additional community gardens are operated exclusively as pantry gardens that donate 100 percent of their harvest. Community gardeners have the potential to grow up to one pound of food per square foot in a single season, meaning a single 4-foot by 12-foot raised garden bed can produce nearly 50 pounds of food in a year.

“Every single individual on this planet eats,” said Rachel Deffenbaugh, Farm Manager, Gateway Greening. “Therefore, food has the incredible potential as a tool to build relationships, foster personal well-being and empower individuals and communities.”

Each year, Gateway Greening awards around 10 new community and urban garden projects and 15 expansion awards for existing gardens. As the organization continues its work to build and expand its gardens, the organization relies on monetary support from the community.

With its annual campaign now underway, Gateway Greening is hoping local donors will open their hearts to contribute critical funding that will provide community and youth gardeners the tools and supplies they need to produce a harvest in 2015.

“We are very proud that our gardens are not only feeding St. Louis, but also helping to unite the community,” said Mike Sorth, Executive Director, Gateway Greening. “The funding we receive through our generous donors provides our gardeners with the basic necessities they require to build the gardens that ultimately help to create delicious and nutritious produce that will feed the community. Those that choose to donate to Gateway Greening have the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping to fight hunger in the St. Louis area, one garden at a time.”

To help support Gateway Greening in its annual campaign, donors may visit www.gatewaygreening.org/donate. Monetary contributions can also be sent via mail to: Gateway Greening, 2211 Washington, Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63103.

For more information on Gateway Greening’s community and youth gardens and urban greening projects, visit www.gatewaygreening.org or call 314-588-9600.

 

ABOUT GATEWAY GREENING

Gateway Greening is a non-profit organization that educates and empowers people to strengthen their communities through gardening and urban agriculture. Gateway Greening has been working to provide creative, grassroots solutions to urban problems since 1984. Programs include supporting more than 200 community and youth-focused gardens across the St. Louis area through educational opportunities, garden supplies and technical assistance; urban beautification projects that enhance the St. Louis urban landscape; and the City Seeds Urban Farm, a 2.5 acre farm in downtown St. Louis that provides therapeutic horticulture and a jobs training program.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

 

Jenna Davis

Gateway Greening

314-588-9600 ext. 103

jenna@gatewaygreening.org

 

Shelene Treptow

The Hauser Group

314-436-9090

shelene@hausergrouppr.com