Growing Home Community Garden

Part of my role as an outreach coordinator is to get knee deep in the thriving San Francisco urban gardening society. A project that I am particularly in awe of is the Growing Home Community Garden. This garden is part of Project Homeless Connect (PHC).

History of PHC: Since October 2004 over 21,936 volunteers have provided services to over 31,000 homeless and poor San Franciscans. I was honestly floored when I showed up to volunteer at the most recent PHC in December.

Growing Home Community Garden: Rallies city departments, the Hayes Valley Neighborhood association, and community members from far and wide. The mission: ‘to provide a community garden where homeless and housed San Franciscans work side-by-side to grow nutritious food, access green space and build community.” When I first spoke with Celina, the garden coordinator I could feel the good vibes (not to mention, any group that can get a bob cat and hydraulic arm to break up asphalt has got it’s sh*t together).

I have now volunteered twice at this amazing community project. Day One: Removing asphalt – what a great way to meet the garden directors, planners and core volunteers. Day Two: building the wooden garden boxes. It was truly a puzzle of team-work, where skilled carpenters and novice nail gun users united.

“This town [San Francisco] has a lot of heart,” gushed Judith, PHC executive director. That was a sunny December afternoon, in the past month I have begun to learn to true meaning of those words.  I am thrilled to help these truly dedicated individuals. In conclusion: take a page out of this book, get up, get out and grow.