2020 brought great challenges—and great opportunity for KCCG to live its mission to empower low-income households, community groups and schools to grow healthy, fresh vegetables and fruit.
Despite all the obstacles with unprecedented COVID-19 restrictions, each program helped fulfill KCCG's mission by empowering 37,000 households to grow more than 1 million pounds of food!
KCCG Program Highlights
Individual & Family Gardens staff worked diligently to get plants and seeds into the hands of home gardeners. This year, experienced gardeners grew extra food for family and friends, former members returned to their gardens and more than 720 first-time gardeners came eager to get their hands dirty! In spring, KCCG opened its 9th rental plot garden, located in KCK’s Jersey Creek neighborhood.
2,548
611,520 lbs.
$1.2 million
The vast majority of KCCG-supported Community Partner Gardens found ways to creatively adapt their operations, stepping up to serve rising community need. Many increased production, sharing extra produce with neighbors and local food pantries.
259
6,993
325,885 lbs.
Giving Grove orchards offered a safe, easily accessible— and bountiful— source of food for neighbors across the city this year. Orchards also served as a welcoming space where residents could safely enjoy the outdoors—and savor a juicy blackberry or crisp Asian pear, plucked right from the branch!
202
3,363
2,836,164 million
KCCG’s Schoolyard Gardens team adapted quickly when schools closed their physical doors this spring, shifting to develop garden and nutrition curriculum for distance learning. We proudly supported teachers who gardened independently this spring and summer, growing food to send home to students and families.
214
18,484
13,580 lbs.
After a spring of cabin fever, the Leanna Flandermeyer Beanstalk Children’s Garden opened its gates as a safe and welcoming destination for children and families this summer. Staff also created remote learning curriculum, with fun garden-inspired activities and recipes families could enjoy at home. Extra produce from the garden was donated to area service agencies.
1,510
KCCG looks forward to continuing the mission to empower thousands of households to grow their own nutritious food in 2021.
Our work is made possible by many generous donors. Every dollar given can help a neighbor grow nearly $4 of healthy, fresh produce. Please consider a gift to support a garden or orchard in the coming year.
