Navajo Nation COVID Relief
Navajo Nation has always been a food desert, with limited access to fresh, nutritious food. But they have also been greatly impacted by COVID-19, with one of the highest infection rates in the country. In response, many people in the community have been actively working towards creating more local and sustainable food sources. One of the innovators working to improve food security on the reservation is Tyrone Thompson, a Navajo Master Gardener working to revitalize dormant farm plots and build family farms and greenhouses for the reservation.
CBS recently aired a documentary about the impact COVID-19 has had on Navajo Nation, which featured Tyrone and his work. He is combining indigenous techniques with modern farming practices to create local and sustainable agricultural systems and improve the health and wellness of the tribe.
Udgar and Puja were always strong supporters of Navajo Nation, and built two Growing Domes at the reservation. We will also be donating a 26’ Growing Dome Greenhouse this fall for Navajo Gardens, a family farm near Tuba City, AZ. They are creating gardens for their local elders to have access to local, fresh, healthy foods! Tyrone created a Facebook fundraising page for people to help with site preparation, raised bed materials, organic soil, irrigation lines, water tanks, fencing and other growing supplies. You can also donate to the Official Navajo Nation COVID relief fund.
Urban Growers Collective Chicago, IL
Rooted in growing food, Urban Growers Collective cultivates nourishing environments which support health, economic development, healing and creativity through urban agriculture in Chicago, IL
They offer a variety of programs including Adult Job Training, New Farm Incubation, Teen Education and Food Access & Justice. They also recently built a 42-foot Growing Dome at the South Chicago farm and community garden to provide training, mentoring, and coaching for individuals to obtain increased agricultural and growing capacity, with a focus on individuals from communities with a lack of food access.
Every contribution makes a big difference. Please consider donating today to strengthen their cause.
Our focus at The Farm Collaborative is to nourish our community and the land on which we thrive all within nature’s timeless framework for today, tomorrow, and generations to come. Modeling an innovative community-farm system inspired by land stewardship, we are led by curiosity and motivated by hope, and we strive to stimulate a global movement toward healthier relationships between food, people and the land. We are growing a better world for our children, and better children for our world.
Mattersville Vets
Growing Spaces strongly supports those who serve our country and are very proud of the veterans we have on our team. We have recently partnered with Mattersville Vets, a non-profit that is building off-grid tiny home communities for veterans with PTSD. What is even more unique, is they are also building a wolf sanctuary and actively adopting wolves and wolf-dogs that need a home. They are training the hybrids to help the vets living in the community cope with PTSD. Even building pens under their beds, and training them to recognize and provide comfort when the vets are having PTSD related nightmares.
They have a gardener on staff to grow their own food and provide a healthy nutritious diet for the Vets. To help the community be more sustainable and self-sufficient year-round, we are donating a 26’ Growing Dome Greenhouse for the Sedalia development. But they also need help with site prep, bed materials, soil, gardening supplies and seeds.
Sponsoring a wolf will help provide the means to take care of the wolf-dogs, while donations will go to the housing and sustainability of the veterans. You can also donate directly to the Growing Dome greenhouse project, which will help with site-prep, raised bed materials, organic soil, and other gardening supplies. Simply specify ‘Growing Spaces Greenhouse’ when making your donation.
Tahoe Food Hub
Tahoe Food Hub is a 501c-3 non-profit organization based in Truckee, California. Founded in 2013, they are a hub for local, sustainably-grown food that connects farmers to markets. Proceeds from their local food marketplace benefit their community impact programs. They work with diversified, family farms, ranches, and specialty food producers within 100-miles of North Lake Tahoe.
Cloud City Conservation Center
Cloud City Conservation Center (C4) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization based in Leadville, Colorado. They foster pathways to a healthier planet and community through initiatives that inspire the conservation of our natural environment.
