Our Village Gardens

OUR VILLAGE GARDENS GROWS, SELLS, AND SHARES FOOD TO BUILD FOOD AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCE.

VILLAGE MARKET - VILLAGE MARKET IS A NEIGHBORHOOD GROCERY STORE LOCATED IN THE HEART OF OREGON'S LARGEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEIGHBORHOOD. IN 2010, THE VILLAGE MARKET PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO MEET A BASIC COMMUNITY-DEFINED NEED: THE LACK OF ACCESS TO A LOCAL CORNER GROCERY STORE WHERE FRESH, HEALTHY, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOOD CAN BE PURCHASED AT A REASONABLE PRICE. TODAY, VILLAGE MARKET WELCOMES 300 CUSTOMERS A DAY AND PROMOTES THE GOOD FOOD PROGRAM. LAST YEAR, VILLAGE MARKET PROVIDED 15,659 FREE APPLES, BANANAS, AND ORANGES TO NEIGHBORHOOD YOUTH (THROUGH THE FREE FRUIT FOR KIDS PROGRAM). (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.)THE MARKET ALSO PROMOTES ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD THROUGH A 20% PRODUCE DISCOUNT (PRODUCE FOR THE PEOPLE) AND A $1 FOR $1 MATCH WHEN PEOPLE USE SNAP BENEFITS TO PURCHASE PRODUCE (DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS). DURING THE GROWING SEASON, VILLAGE MARKET HIGHLIGHTS PRODUCE GROWN TWO BLOCKS AWAY AT OUR SEEDS OF HARMONY COMMUNITY GARDEN. THE MARKET IS ALSO A PRIMARY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

GROWING PROJECTS - LAUNCHED IN SPRING 2006 IN THE NEW COLUMBIA COMMUNITY, THE SEEDS OF HARMONY COMMUNITY GARDEN PROVIDES ACCESS TO LAND, SEEDS, PLANT STARTS, AND COMPOST TO OVER 75 GARDENER HOUSEHOLDS. VILLAGE GARDENS' STAFF SUPPORT THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SEEDS OF HARMONY GARDEN COMMITTEE AS THEY OVERSEE A 42,000-SQUARE-FOOT GARDEN THAT SERVES AS A COMMUNITY MEETING PLACE, A FOOD SOURCE, AND AN EDUCATIONAL TOOL FOR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. THE FRUITS OF DIVERSITY COMMUNITY ORCHARD - A 10,000-SQUARE-FOOT ORCHARD LAUNCHED IN 2013 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PORTLAND FRUIT TREE PROJECT IS THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMUNITY ORCHARD PLANTED IN THE CITY OF PORTLAND. FRUIT HARVESTED FROM THE ORCHARD GOES TO COMMUNITY RESIDENTS WHO VOLUNTEER AT MONTHLY WORK AND HARVEST PARTIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.)WE LAUNCHED THE NEIGHBOR-2-NEIGHBOR PROGRAM IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE HARVEST AND PURCHASE SEASONAL PRODUCE DIRECTLY FROM COMMUNITY GARDENERS TO PROVIDE FREE WEEKLY PRODUCE SHARES TO SENIORS AND OTHER NEIGHBORS WHO ARE UNABLE TO GARDEN. 28 FAMILIES RECEIVE FREE WEEKLY DELIVERIES OF FRESH PRODUCE AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROWERS ARE ABLE TO SELL DIRECTLY TO FEED THEIR NEIGHBORS.