Growing Hope Inc

FOSTERS AN EQUITABLE AND SUSTAINABLE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM WHERE ALL PEOPLE ARE EMPOWERED TO GROW, SELL, BUY, PREPARE, AND EAT NOURISHING FOOD.

FARM AND GARDEN PROGRAMS - THE ORGANIZATION HELPED OVER 100 GARDENERS OBTAIN THE RESOURCES THEY NEEDED TO START GROWING GARDENS IN THE YPSILANTI COMMUNITY. WE GAVE AWAY 12 YARDS OF GARDEN SOIL/COMPOST AT OUR FARM, AND OVER 1600 SEED PACKETS. WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 6,000 SEEDLINGS TO HOME, COMMUNITY, AND SCHOOL GARDENS. WE ALSO HAD TOOLS AND OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO GARDENERS WHO NEEDED THEM. WE DONATED ABOUT 10,461 WORTH OF FRESH PRODUCE TO LOCAL FOOD PANTRIES, OUR FREE PRODUCE CART IN FRONT OF OUR FARM, TEEN FARM SHARES, TEEN COOKING CLASSES, AND FIELD TRIP COOKING LESSONS. THROUGH OUR HOME VEGETABLE GARDEN PROGRAM (HVGP), WE INSTALLED NEW RAISED BED GARDENS FOR 25 YPSILANTI HOUSEHOLDS AND REPAIRED EXISTING GARDEN BEDS AT ONE LOCAL SENIOR LIVING CENTER. WE PROVIDED GARDEN SOIL, COMPOST, SEEDLINGS, SEEDS AND GARDEN SUPPORT SERVICES TO ALL OF THESE HOMES. WE SUPPORTED A SMALL WORKSHOP SERIES ON THE FARM, REACHING AT LEAST FIVE PARTICIPANTS IN EACH WORKSHOP. WE HOSTED ONE VERY WELL ATTENDED COMMUNITY DAY IN JUNE THAT WELCOMED PEOPLE BACK TO THEIR SPACE FOLLOWING THE 2020 PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS. COMMUNITY DAY INCLUDED FOOD, KIDS ACTIVITIES, WORKSHOPS, FARM TOURS, AND A MAKE-AND-TAKE SEEDLING ACTIVITY. THE FARM ALSO MADE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS DURING 2021: THE COMPOST SYSTEM WAS OVERHAULED FROM A MESSY AND UNPRODUCTIVE THREE-BIN SYSTEM TO A MORE STREAMLINED WINDROW SYSTEM THAT IS EASIER TO MANAGE AND TURN. THE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEM ATTACHED TO THE LARGE HOOP-HOUSE WAS DRAINED, CLEANED, AND PARTS PURCHASED TO GET IT RUNNING AGAIN. WE ARE PLANNING TO HAVE IT OPERATIONAL IN 2022.

FARMERS MARKET PROGRAMS - THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED THE YPSI AREA ONLINE MARKET TO PROVIDE NO-CONTACT PICK-UP DURING COVID-19. WE PARTNERED WITH THE FARM AT ST. JOE'S HOSPITAL TO OFFER TWO PICK-UP LOCATIONS FOR CUSTOMERS. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER SNAP AND DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS FOR CUSTOMERS USING THE ONLINE MARKET. THE MARKET BROUGHT IN JUST OVER 200,000 IN SALES, 16% USING FOOD ASSISTANCE, AND SUPPORTED 40 LOCAL FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS. WE SUCCESSFULLY OPERATED BOTH THE IN-PERSON DEPOT TOWN FARMERS AND DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET WITH NEW SAFETY RESTRICTIONS.

YOUTH AND SCHOOLS PROGRAMS - THE ORGANIZATION REACHED 105 YOUTH THROUGH IN-PERSON FIELD TRIPS AND 275 YOUTH THROUGH OUR VIRTUAL FARM FIELD TRIPS. WE CREATED GARDEN AND COOKING VIDEOS AND PRINTED HANDOUTS FOR K-5 YPSILANTI STUDENTS. HANDOUTS WERE INCLUDED IN PRODUCE BOXES PUT TOGETHER BY EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY--BRIGHT FUTURES AND DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS. WE SUCCESSFULLY RAN AN IN-PERSON YEAR-ROUND TEEN PROGRAM WITH 16 YPSILANTI TEENS. WE INCORPORATED FOOD JUSTICE, COOKING AND GARDENING WORKSHOPS INTO THE CURRICULUM. WE SUPPORTED THE YPSILANTI COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT'S FARM TO SCHOOL COMMITTEE THROUGH CREATING MORE STRUCTURE WITH VISION, MISSION, GOALS, ROLES, AND ADDING PARTNERS.

FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP - THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO OPERATE THE INCUBATOR KITCHEN DURING COVID-19. WE HOSTED 13 START-UP FOOD BUSINESSES IN THEIR THIRD YEAR OF OUR INCUBATOR KITCHEN AND SUPPORTED THEM AS NEEDED THROUGH THE LICENSING PHASE. THESE BUSINESSES STARTED SELLING TO RETAILERS AND AT OUR FARMERS MARKETS. WE COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION ON OUR INCUBATOR KITCHEN TO INCLUDE WALK-IN COOLERS, FREEZERS, MORE PREP SPACE AND DRY STORAGE. THE EXPANDED SPACE EASILY ACCOMMODATES A DOZEN PARTICIPANTS FOR FOOD PREPARATION- ONE COMMUNITY PARTNER WAS ABLE TO BRING IN THEIR CLIENTS TO PRODUCE A THANKSGIVING MEAL DELIVERY FOR THEIR GROUP. INCREASED NUMBER OF MAKERS UTILIZING THE KITCHEN FROM 5 IN JANUARY OF 2021 TO 8 REGULAR USERS PLUS 3 ADDITIONAL MAKERS ON DROP IN SCHEDULES. INITIATING TOURS AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO APPROXIMATELY 40 INTERESTED PARTIES THROUGH OUR ONLINE INQUIRY FORM.