COMMUNITY GARDENS

To paraphrase the well known proverb, "Give a man some food, you have fed him for a day; teach a man to garden, you have fed him for a lifetime."

With hunger on the rise and our food distribution increasing by 40% in the last two years, Tarrant Area Food Bank sees the need to explore innovative food sources, like cultivating local growing spaces, where community members are actively involved in growing their own nutritious food.

Why Community Gardening?

• Improve local food security and increase self-reliance through providing your own food.
• Get the nutrition you need and enjoy fresher food by eating locally grown fare.
• Foster community identity and spirit.
• Save money.
• Improve the environment by making beneficial use of vacant or unproductive spaces.
• Decrease transportation costs and environmental and nutritional impact on our fresh food supply.
• Reconnect people with nature and each other to develop cultural spaces.
  

What is Tarrant Area Food Bank's Role?

The Community Garden program is an initiative to guide and inspire communities to grow their own produce, and to share their excess with those at risk of hunger and malnutrition. This program offers creative and simple solutions to increase access to nutritious food in our service area.

• Mission:

• To develop a network that will provide opportunities for collaboration, education and other resources to support partners in creating community food systems benefiting those in need.

 

• Goals:

   

1. Provide resources and support --i.e. gardening materials & tools, implementation design & support, and leadership training-- to help communities create sustainable growing systems.
2. Empower community garden members through gardening education with the knowledge and skills to maintain a supply of fresh produce.
3. Provide nutrition education to promote healthier lifestyle choices, leading to overall improved community health.

 

• Other Services:

• Sponsor a website (www.communitygardensdfw.org) in an effort to create a gardening network. The website provides opportunities to exchanges ideas and share upcoming community gardening events via a community calendar.
• Increase awareness and support for community gardening in North Texas.
• Promote collaboration between organizations to meet shared goals.
• Provide a place for growers, large and small, to help their local community by donating their extra harvest. Visit Plant a Seed to Feed.
• Sponsor special events and speakers.

Contact Us 

Learning about or starting and maintaining a Community Garden:

Katey Rudd, Community Gardens Coordinator

Nutrition Services

682-557-3304

Email

 

Volunteering with Community Gardens or other Nutrition Services programs:

Robyn Morgan, Resource Coordinator

Tarrant Area Food Bank Programs

817-332-9177, ext. 151.

Email