About The Website
GrowingCommunityGardenKzoo represents a community garden dedicated to providing organic fruits and vegetables in a food insecure neighborhood. The aim is to invite community members to access their own fresh produce, teach and learn together about food health and support each other with love and grace. This space seeks all community members to engage with the mission, vision and values outlined and expressed in these pages
SERVICES
Our Mission, Our Values, Our Vision
Growing Community Garden
Our Mission: The mission of the Growing Community Garden is to provide a foraging garden where people cooperate in growing food, growing community, and growing in love.
Our Values:
Collaborative Community – Working as a team to cultivate land, food, and strong loving relationships, knowing that we are greater together as we build community.
Justice – Fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Education – Teaching and learning to expand the reach of nature’s capacity.
Radical Hospitality – Nurturing and sharing earth’s bounty with respect, dignity, and compassion for all.
Our Vision:
Our vision as a collaborative community garden is to cultivate a safe and welcoming space that serves as a beacon of hope and justice. Here, we aim to be both givers and receivers, learners and teachers. Beyond growing fresh food, our garden seeks to be a hub of people, connections, opportunities, and ideas.
Events
The EARTH DAY/PLANTING DAY FESTIVAL proposed schedule is as follows: 1. Volunteers engaged in garden prepping/planting/irrigation setup and much more - shift 1: 9am - 12noon, shift 2: 1pm - 4pm 2. Booth/table displays, games, activities, information - 11am - 2pm 3. Carry-in lunch in the Sunnyside Church yard - 12noon - 1pm --possible speakers, presentations on earth justice, food justice, intro program for youth organizations in the garden during the growing season 4. Liturgy celebrating creation - 12:50pm 5. Youth organization mini-workshops through the day - as arranged by youth organizationsRead More
- Date: 5/17/2025 09:00 AM - 5/17/2025 04:00 PM
- Location: 2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI, USA (Map)
Read More
Events
YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS are invited to schedule sessions at Growing Community Garden to explore any level of gardening skills, knowledge, or practice. Organizations will include (but not be limited to) 4-H clubs/individuals, scouting troops, school groups, after-school groups, faith community youth groups, other special interest groups.
Volunteer Garden Care: 9 am - 12:00 noon & 1 pm - 4 pm Display Booth Activities: 11 am to 2 pm Free Luncheon (offerings accepted): 12 noon to 1 pm Summer Youth Program Gathering: 2 pm
Contact
- 2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048, USA
- At the corner of Gull Road and Sunnyside Drive with a bus stop at that corner.
- Always open. Gates are closed only to keep the deer out!!
Garden Co-Manager
F.A.Q
Does this garden have a membership or requirements to participate?
There are no fees, no requirements and no income verification or applications.
If you or those in your household are in need of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables this garden is for you. Keep checking to see what produce is available throughout the growing season.
If you or those in your household are in need of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables this garden is for you. Keep checking to see what produce is available throughout the growing season.
What else can I do at the garden if I don't need food or do not want to do garden tasks?
Growing Community Garden is also a place for rest on the benches or at the picnic tables. If you need a space to chill, meditate, relax, have conversation or enjoy a household picnic, the garden space is open all the time for you.
The play equipment at the center of the garden space is for young children to enjoy to their heart's content. Parental supervision is a must but young families are always welcome at the garden.
The play equipment at the center of the garden space is for young children to enjoy to their heart's content. Parental supervision is a must but young families are always welcome at the garden.
Who works the garden to keep it growing and going?
Growing Community Garden involves a wide base of supporters with a variety of abilities. The garden co-managers are dedicated to overseeing all the steps to having a bountiful garden that can help feed hundreds of households.
Volunteer garden enthusiasts are welcome to contact the garden managers to add their talent and passion to the garden's success.
Volunteer gardeners are essential for seeding, planting, weeding, putting in plant supports, watering, putting down ground cover, helping to harvest, and all manner of details too lengthy to list.
Anyone with personal time and passion or who represents a group that wishes to provide volunteer services in the garden can contact one of the garden co-managers.
Volunteer garden enthusiasts are welcome to contact the garden managers to add their talent and passion to the garden's success.
Volunteer gardeners are essential for seeding, planting, weeding, putting in plant supports, watering, putting down ground cover, helping to harvest, and all manner of details too lengthy to list.
Anyone with personal time and passion or who represents a group that wishes to provide volunteer services in the garden can contact one of the garden co-managers.
What is available for those with handicapping conditions or physical restrictions?
Growing Community Garden keeps striving to make accessibility and ease of securing needed fresh, nutritious produce as available as possible. In late March, 2024, the Dan Salerno Memorial Walkway was completed - a five foot wide concrete walkway from the parking lot at the adjacent Sunnyside Church down to and into the main garden entrance. Those with mobility challenges will find this path a great help in getting to and into the garden spaces.
A limited number of raised garden beds help those who cannot harvest at ground level.
For those unable to harvest for themselves, the garden care team will assist as possible to ensure no one goes away without produce for their household.
A limited number of raised garden beds help those who cannot harvest at ground level.
For those unable to harvest for themselves, the garden care team will assist as possible to ensure no one goes away without produce for their household.
Jobs
Paid GCG Director (Part-Time)
2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Director Job Description
Growing Community Garden
2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Employment available immediately.
Growing Community Garden
2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
Employment available immediately.
- Support Volunteer and/or paid Co-Garden Managers in fulfilling the mission of Growing Community Garden
- Support supervision of any paid attendant/associate staff members
- Assist as needed scheduling, support, priority activities, and accountability
- Submit payroll data at the end of each pay period for all paid staff
- Support data collection and registry for all food harvesting and distribution
- Support staff and volunteer data collection with tasks completed, time invested, and contact follow-up.
- Support garden user feedback, stories, and how the garden has met critical needs (for grant application inclusion)
- Assist in maintaining standards for garden access, safety, and security
- Off-property responsibilities
- Coordinate garden communications (e.g. text and email lists of volunteers, guests, partners and supporters; newsletter emails or text messages; Facebook posts, web site upkeep, other social media applications.)
- Continue recruitment and engagement of partner organizations, volunteer participants, candidates for Board of Directors membership, and donors or support households
- Offer concise reports to Growing Community Garden board of directors for each scheduled meeting and to partner organizations as needed (Sunnyside UMC and all other organizations that hold a committed stake in the outreach of Growing Community Garden.) Reporting shall identify goal and objective achievements as well as challenges and proposed resolution strategies
- Pursue grant opportunities:
- Assist Board of Director members in completing and following through with grant funding requests/applications toward long-term staffing and program development for GCG, including support for a full-time Garden Director position, a full-time Garden Manager and labor staffing for 2025 and beyond.
- Engage volunteers for equipment maintenance, repair, or purchase of replacement or needed equipment.
- Participate in organizing ongoing garden events that draw household members to the garden for workshops, harvesting, garden care, garden produce preservation and overall celebration events
- Help organize and implement two major events, namely, the Earth Day Spring Garden Festival (May) and the Fall Harvest Festival (October)
- Organize at least two garden care activities each month (weekday evenings and/or Saturday mornings) in partnership with volunteer or paid garden management, with complementary 30-minute workshops at the end of the garden care sessions. Workshops may include: produce preservation (canning and/or freezing), health factors of various garden produce (medicinal, basic nutrition, cooking methods for maximum benefits), food-to-table cooking demonstrations and consumption, etc., utilizing partner expertise and volunteer leadership.
- Meet with GCG board of directors supervisory team for periodic consultation regarding goals and objectives, successes and challenges.
Requirements
The Director of GCG will be responsible for applying an antiracist lens to all work with strong people skills, organizing skills, and willingness to be transparent and accountable to the Board of Directors of Growing Community Garden.
GCG.kzoo@gmail.com
- Bring a people-first, anti-oppression lens to all relationships and tasks
- Enthusiasm for gardening and social and environmental justice
- Anti-oppression and/or antiracism training or willingness to attend training
- Safe Place certification
- Effective communication skills
- Knowledge of/interest in organic gardening methods and commitment to using garden methods that are healthful for people and creation
- Ability to work in a team setting
- Skills and experience to develop grant applications and follow-through
- Staff leadership skills and experience
- Organizational and planning skills
GCG.kzoo@gmail.com
Garden Care Volunteer
2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
| HOST: Growing Community Garden, 2800 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048 Growing Community Garden is an outreach to food insecure households primarily on the east side of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The garden outreach is a 2+ acre plot inviting area households to “forage” as needed to help bridge fresh, nutritious food insecurity gaps during the growing season. The garden is also a place for volunteer application of gardening skills and a place for people of all ages to come for rest, reflection, inspiration or recreation. Website: growingcommunitygardenkzoo.com Facebook: Growing Community Garden |
| GROWING COMMUNITY GARDEN VOLUNTEER |
| SUPERVISOR: David Newhouse, Volunteer Garden Co-Manager Pastordavid.bumc@gmail.com Ph/Txt: 847.263.8621 WhatsApp (847.263.8621) SUPERVISOR: Rev. Bobette Hampton, Volunteer Garden Co-Manager [Currently on medical leave.] SUPERVISOR: Dedrenna Hoskins, Volunteer Garden Co-Manager Txt: 269.598.0931 |
| GENERAL OVERVIEW of JOB DESCRIPTION: Volunteer service in the Growing Community Garden is open to all persons with no requirement of religious affiliation or other identity. Minors (under age 18) must be accompanied by parental supervision or be supervised and under liability authority of an external sponsoring organization (insurance documents must be placed on file with the garden.) Garden volunteers are welcome at all times, with particular focus on times when there are garden team attendants present or when arrangements have been made with garden team attendants. There are tasks that fit with any level of physical capacity, though many tasks are best suited to some physical exertion and some require strength and endurance. Garden volunteers must be familiar with “Safe Place” policies toward due diligence in keeping all spaces safe where contact with vulnerable persons (children, youth, aged, those with handicapping conditions, etc.) occurs, thus doing good and no harm for all persons. |
| MAIN EXPECTATIONS OF GARDEN VOLUNTEERS: Garden service activities should be during daylight hours, between 7:00am and 8:00pm. Volunteers can receive orientation and introduction to garden care opportunities (including availability of safety resources, tools and equipment, and detailed guidance) from garden managers or other designated garden attendants. Volunteers are urged to register any service visit to the garden with name, organization represented (if any), contact information (not required but helpful to keep informed about garden events, activities, and notifications,) beginning time and total time per visit, and summary of tasks completed upon departure. If attendants are present, they may assist with these important record-keeping tasks. Maintain healthy and safe practices throughout any activity in the Growing Community Garden and be aware of others in the garden to support each other in maintaining healthy, safe practices and context for volunteer services. Be aware of First Aid resources and procedures, including informing any Growing Community Garden attendant immediately when any health or safety incident occurs. |
Requirements
| POSSIBLE VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) Weeding is the most prevalent and always essential element of gardening, from general removal of weeds in spaces between plantings to tedious weeding in planting rows or clusters. Requests for guidance in identifying “weeds” vs intended garden plantings are always welcome! All removed weeds must be placed in the designated compost piles. Weeding may be done by hand (with gloves recommended), with small trowels, with scuffle hoes, or other tools as determined. Other tasks vary widely according to season developments and weather conditions: applying soil amendments (e.g. manure or organic fertilizer) seeding crops inputting plants applying ground cover and mulch setting up plant support structures (tomato cages, cattle panels for cucumbers, peas, black-eyed peas, pole beans, etc.) irrigation (watering) tasks assistance with harvesting mature crops mowing garden green spaces painting or sealing especially wood structures or signage assistance with modest construction projects landscaping and beautification of the garden setting labeling/informational posts by plantings distribution of produce assisting with communication systems and postings (social media, web site, flyers, media announcements, presentations, etc.) tool and machine maintenance expertise and assistance general organization of shed storage spaces and distribution spaces anything else that helps maintain the health and safety of the garden and makes it successful in its mission to bridge the food insecurity gap for any household that can access the garden. |
Bonuses
Being a part of the growing community of people who want to connect with the earth, connect with each other and connect with healthy, nutritious produce.
Benefits
Those who require verification of community service can usually be accommodated.
Responsibilities
Anyone wishing to volunteer/exercise community service at Growing Community Garden will best succeed:
With a positive outlook on life, on the natural environment and on learning something new every day!
By keeping boundaries for self-care and positive community relations.
By building positive, meaningful and appropriate relationships with others.
By being comfortable in an outdoor environment and being familiar or willing to become familiar with garden activities, response to various weather conditions, safety practices for garden activities, and details of garden plantings, their care and their harvest options.
By being reasonably able to keep commitments and follow through with agreed-upon tasks, assignments and garden attendant guidance, including requested record-keeping tasks.
With a positive outlook on life, on the natural environment and on learning something new every day!
By keeping boundaries for self-care and positive community relations.
By building positive, meaningful and appropriate relationships with others.
By being comfortable in an outdoor environment and being familiar or willing to become familiar with garden activities, response to various weather conditions, safety practices for garden activities, and details of garden plantings, their care and their harvest options.
By being reasonably able to keep commitments and follow through with agreed-upon tasks, assignments and garden attendant guidance, including requested record-keeping tasks.
