2024 Garden Recap
The Table 2024 Garden Recap
How can we measure the impact of our gardening efforts? We have calculated pounds harvested, numbers of volunteers, volunteer hours spent in the garden, and the number of returning volunteers and families served. We wish we could capture the awe, curiosity, gratitude, hugs, recipe shares, and community connection that is fostered over the course of the season.
With your support of the gardens in 2024, farm activities have decreased isolation and improved connectivity for seniors, moms, and students. The gardens facilitated “shoulder to shoulder” time helping relationships to develop roots. The acts of digging in the soil, harvesting food, and bunching beautiful bouquets have helped individuals slow down, learn something new and contribute to our community mission.
1. Volunteers:
- 119 Volunteers joined us in the garden
- 12 joined weekly
- 3 Ambassadors assisted in educational programs this summer.
2. Food Distribution:
- 103 Gardening and Produce Sharing Events
- 4,345 pounds of produce was distributed to our community. New this season we shared with College View Recreation Center and West High School.
3. Health Impact:
- A volunteer reflected “The Table is helping the environment due to less pollution, less water runoff, less soil loss, more support for pollinators and other wildlife.”
4. Community Impact:
- 11 New Community Events took place at Clay St.
- The Clay St. Garden, in particular, is bettering the mental health of volunteers, community members, police officers and even those who walk through the garden to take their kids to school or who wait at the bus stop on the edge of the garden.
5. Social Impact:
- With a wave, a picnic table, a refreshing sprinkler, or flower bouquet the gardens draw in neighbors with questions and curiosity. This season we haven’t simply given away produce, we’ve invited each visitor to join us, shoulder to shoulder, in the garden, even if for only a few minutes, to work together and share the harvest.
