Grow Appalachia

Through funding and technical assistance, Grow Appalachia has supported hundreds of gardens through dozens of community partnerships in four states; from backyard gardens to community gardens to school and summer camp gardens to greenhouses to mini-farms; producing more than 574,000 pounds of healthy, organic food for thousands of people in its first three years. The gardens are worked by nonprofits, farmers’ market entrepreneurs, the elderly, the Girl Scouts, inmates, the disabled, and others who believe a better food system equals better lives. Some participants garden to save money. Others garden to make money. The program seeks both to educate communities and to learn from communities. It works to preserve the past, build hope for the future, and empower Appalachians to live healthy, productive lives.