We Sow We Grow is thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a $150,000 unrestricted gift from Chicago Beyond! This grant will help expand our local and virtual offerings to our extended community members, and to improve our educational farm located on 120th and Union Avenue. We are proud to partner with Chicago Beyond, who recognizes the critical work being done by Black-and-brown-led organizations across the city.
Through the Rapid Response Fund, they support many of us with quick, unrestricted awards. Learn more about us and other Rapid Response Fund partners at: https://chicagobeyond.org/rapid-response-fund
We are one of the hundreds of Black-and-brown-led, hyperlocal organizations in Chicago working to build on the beauty and strength in our communities. Too often, our work does not get the acknowledgement it deserves or the support it needs. It is up to all of us to keep on building and growing our communities and sharing our positive impact.
The work that we have been doing for the last seven seasons has impacted more than 700 homes all over the world, but our heartbeat is in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, IL, where we have found our produce and eggs, and general knowledge in more than 150 homes! Not bad for the tiny nonprofit that could!
With this grant we will doing quite a few things including but not limited to:
- Installing a proper coop for our hens. Our eggs are quite the hit in the neighborhood, and happy, healthy and hens protected from harm produce the best eggs!
- Installing accessible growing beds so that ALL of our community members can learn at their comfort levels.
- Improving our already installed fencing to add to the beauty of the community we reside in.
- Purchase more tools to accommodate more volunteers.
- Install a seating/shade area
- Install a wash station.
- Install a shed
- Install a greenhouse
That list alone is enough to make one person tired, but we’ll be looking to give quite a few people a chance to get a great workout and help create communal bonds.
Support in this capacity allows us to bring more to the neighborhood in an efficient manner. Our focus can be on programming, and community building instead of JUST fundraising. So often, community organizations such as ours, housed IN the communities they are serving and led by residents who reside in that same community aren’t given space to do the work.
We now have the funds and the space, and we couldn’t be any more honored.
Now, join us on Instagram, Facebook, or through our newsletter to keep up with what we’re doing and offering.
Until next time, keep sowing and growing!
