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HELP US "STILL GROW" ACCESS TO GOOD JOBS & GOOD FOOD.

Amidst the pandemic, in 2020 we accomplished...

50+

People enrolled in our paid job training program.

90

of our produce from our first harvests donated to the Englewood community.

30

lbs. of produce grown on our farms with the addition of our 3rd farm site.

100

Of employment training participants who needed laptops & hotspots were provided with this technological assistance.

100

of our CSA door-to-door biweekly and weekly deliveries to neighbors in Englewood were at no cost to residents due to grants & donations.

15

new fresh veggie cooking shows launched on the first season of our Growing Home Kitchen!

That’s one of the reasons I am proud of working here at Growing Home. It actually gives me a purpose, giving out these fresh vegetables to those who actually need it.

Anthony, 2020 Cohort 2 Program Graduate

2020 Story

Growing Home is “Still Growing” amidst the challenges faced in 2020!

We have enrolled 50+ participants in our innovative employment training program by transitioning to a virtual classroom format which included virtual elevator pitch workshops with top companies around the Chicagoland.

Growing Home has grown over 30,000 pounds of local, organic produce.  We donated 90-100% of our first harvests to our neighbors. We partnered with local organizations to offer CSA’s in Englewood at no cost to residents with door-to-door delivery and provided fresh, organic food to successful FREE food drives in neighborhoods that face food insecurity.

Our April 2020 opening of our new Honore Street South farm has been extremely successful in our Mission!  It has directly increased our harvests to share with our Englewood neighbors, in excess of 8,000 lbs!!! The Honore Street South farm allows for the creation of a productive, safe green space for job-training, and environmental & wellness education.

In order to continue teaching food & health wellness, we pivoted our community engagement to offer Virtual Cooking Workshops with our fresh, organic food grown on our Growing Home Farms.  We also taught a virtual gardening and nutrition workshop series to the local boys and girls club.

We are grateful to our staff, Production Assistants, neighbors and donors who have helped to make this all possible!

We ask that you “STILL GROW” with US! Growing Home is currently working to “Still Grow” with the following projects:

  • Extend our growing season by heating our hoop houses
  • Grow our farm site with increased production and processing space
  • Obtain our GAP certification
  • Expanded market space and refrigeration.
  • Expand our Employment Training services by increasing Corporate Job readiness sponsors
  • Expand our workforce development to include another cohort

We are exploring new ways to reach our community through education with plans of:

  • 2021 experimental community garden
  • Online and in-person “Growing Home University”
  • A Growing Home Food Truck to spread the Organic Fresh Veggie Love!

Your support at this time means that Growing Home will continue to “Still Grow” our current programs and “Still Grow” our expansion programs!  Programs that are vital to continue to realize our vision everyday on the farms of Growing Home that…

“EVERYONE Deserves a Good Job & Good Food.”