September 2022

Workshops

How To Start A School Garden - And Keep It Going!

Virtual Workshop

Wednesday, Sept. 28 @ 4PM

Do you want to start or re-start a garden or outdoor learning space at your school? Join the GrowNYC School Gardens team to learn the steps: how to create a shared mission, make a map and budget, develop a garden committee, find funding and materials, and set the garden up for success for years to come!


RSVP Here 

Curbside Composting For Bronx Schools

Virtual Info Session

Tuesday, Oct. 11 @ 12PM and 4PM

Starting October 17, 2022, all DOE K-12 schools in the Bronx will switch to Curbside Composting collection service. GrowNYC Zero Waste Schools is providing on-the-ground, hands-on support to each school to ensure your success with this exciting change and we're hosting this info session to provide all the information you'll need.


RSVP Here

GrowNYC School Garden Drop-In Hour

Virtual Event

Wednesday, Oct 19 @ 3PM

Do you want to create or re-start a school garden or outdoor classroom at your school? Join this co-working event where you can do a Q&A with the GrowNYC School Gardens team and other NYC schools. This event is great for teachers, administrators, parents and/or guardians involved in NYC DOE K-12 schools.



RSVP Here

Youth Workforce Development

Virtual Workshops

Every Tuesday @ 5PM

GrowNYC’s Youth Workforce Development program provides work experience and professional development for young people. Participants gain a deeper understanding of how food, health and environment intersect – and their ability to affect positive change.

Open to ages of 16-19 and those who work with youth.


RSVP Here

Lomi & GrowNYC

Canadian based company Pela is committed to creating a waste free future by generously donating Lomi countertop composters to DOE K-12 public and charter schools in NYC! This kitchen appliance reduces the amount of food scraps going to landfills. Lomi creates natural fertilizer with the nutrients that plants need by transforming food scraps and most organic waste into Lomi dirt. Lomi helps you return food scraps to the earth and nutrients to the soil, where they are naturally repurposed to feed plants and vegetables.


If you would like to have a Lomi at your school, please fill out the information in the links below. Schools must have an up-to-date registration with GrowNYC.

Request Lomi Here
Register with GrowNYC Here

Greenmarket Youth Education

Tours of the Greenmarkets are virtual this fall. Visit the GrowNYC Union Square Greenmarket online.


If you are a teacher or family interested in introducing your students or children to regional agriculture and sustainable farming, here are a few other useful resources:

Self-guided Greenmarket tours

GrowNYC's Distance Learning Page

K-12 resources and activities 

On-the-farm field trips

Field Trips to the Teaching Garden

The Teaching Garden fieldtrips are almost fully booked for the fall 2022 season. See our website for remaining days available.  


For Families & Individuals: The Teaching Garden, along with Earth Matter and The Bee Conservancy, is also offering guided farm tours first Saturday of every month. Register here.


Or, join us on weekends from May to October from 12 – 4pm for self-guided tours and scavenger hunts, help us water, or visit our dig bed for visitors of all ages to have fun and explore!


Can't wait to see you in the Teaching Garden! For questions regarding our programming, please email asantistevan@grownyc.org

Zero Waste Schools

Curbside Composting

We are thrilled to announce that Curbside Composting (aka Organics Collection) is expanding this school year! The program will enroll over 350 new schools this year and more next year. And new schools can expect their curbside service switch to take effect on, Monday, October 17th.


The first set of schools to receive the new service will be in the Bronx. And just like we've done for schools for the last 10 years, GrowNYC ZWS will help all the new Bronx enrolled schools achieve Zero Waste goals through education, training, and support. We'll be there to help folks figure out how to sort food waste and food soiled paper along with metals, glass, cartons and hard plastics in the cafeterias.


Zero Waste Schools Virtual Events

This year, GrowNYC ZWS is excited to launch a brand new set of virtual offerings. Our Teacher Tuesdays series will include workshops and trainings for teachers, educators administrators, and sustainability coordinators.


And if your students are interested in discussions or workshops on climate change or NYC waste, our Waste-Free Wednesdays is perfect for them.


We're also hosting a limited number of free one-on-one consultations for folks who are trying to figure out how to improve waste systems in their NYC school. Expect our events monthly from October 2022 until June 2023. Registrations and events kick off in October.


For full event details click here

Youth Leadership Council

Looking to help your students boost their resumes, build leadership skills, network with sustainability practitioners and gain real-world experience? Invite them to apply to the GrowNYC Zero Waste Schools Youth Leadership Council.


Reach out to us at zerowasteschools@grownyc.org if you have questions about the program or the application process. Half of our sessions will be in-person and the other half will be virtual.  


Application Deadline: Friday, October 21st at 11:59pm.

Apply Now
Grant Opportunities
Grants for school garden and sustainability projects:

Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grants Deadline: Oct 1, 2022

Cliff Family Foundation Small Grants Deadline: Oct 1, 2022

Budding Botanist Grant Deadline: Oct 14, 2022

Lorrie Otto Seeds For Education Program Deadline: Oct 15, 2022

Energize The Environment Grant Program Deadline: Oct 30, 2022

SeedMoney Deadline: Nov 12, 2022

Karma 4 Cara Deadline: Rolling

Hudson Valley Seed Co Seed Donations Deadline: Rolling

Herman's Garden Seed Donation Program Deadline: Rolling

Ioby Crowdfund Matching Deadline: Rolling

Future Farmers of America Grants Deadline: Rolling

Monarch Watch Free Milkweed Deadline: Rolling

EcoRise Student Innovation Fund Always open

From Our Partners

DOE Office of Sustainability

Check out the revamped Sustainability Hub for monthly highlights, news & updates, reports and more!


Farm School NYC

Farm School NYC offers urban agriculture training to adults through their citywide program and additional individual courses. Get more information and apply here.


43rd Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair

GreenThumb invites you to their Harvest Fair on Saturday, September 24, 2022 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at Friends of Brook Park Community Garden in the Bronx! Celebrate with workshops, greening partners, healthy cooking and more!


GreenThumb Workshops

GreenThumb has a slew of workshops this month offering expertise in caring for perrenials, growing mushrooms, art in the garden, and more! Check out thier events page for a workshop that suits you.


Harlem Grown

From May through October, Harlem Grown offers a series of workshops for children and their families to learn about fruits, veggies, planting, and gardening through engaging lessons, educational games, crafts, and cooking. Workshops are held at their 134th Street Farm every Saturday (unless otherwise noted) from 10am – 3pm. Register here.


iDig2Learn

Join iDig2Learn and artists from Socrates Sculpture Park for a free nature workshop on Sept 17 from 11am -1pm. Participants will experiment with art blending techniques and then head to the park with eyes toward discovering camouflage and defense in nature. Pre-registration required.


Jacob Javits Center

The Jacob Javits Center and the Greenroof Researchers Alliance are hosting a free workshop on the State of Greenroofs 2022. Find out about new scientific discoveries, state-of-the-art green roofs, and how to make local change through legislation! Register here.


Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy

The Tisch Center and Teachers College has a Wellness Program Finder. Find a list of food, nutrition, physical and mental health programs serving New York City PreK-12 public schools, run by nonprofits, hospitals, companies, government agencies, and universities in this searchable database.


NYBG

NYBG Grounds-only admission is now free for all Bronx residents every day the Garden is open, all year round! Bring your I.D. with proof of residency to any ticket booth to get your tickets. Learn more about NYBG’s Community Access Programs.


NYC Parks and the Urban Park Rangers

Urban Park Rangers are full of knowledge about history, astronomy, animals, plants, and more. From birding to canoeing to camping, summer has so many exciting Ranger-led events for you and your family to experience in our parks! Click here for upcoming events.


New York Restoration Project

NYRP's Gardens for the City (GFTC) program helps transform New York City community gardens by providing materials, horticultural knowledge, environmental education, labor, and expertise. To apply to have your garden renovated, visit the NYRP website. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please note due to the high volume of applications, all future GFTC inquiries will be considered for 2023.


Rat Academy Trainings

Free trainings by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and various sponsors to learn about rat prevention methods. Click on a date to register.

  Virtual

  In-Person

  Rat Academy for Community Gardeners


SGSO Network

The School Gardens Support Organization Network is hosting a webinar to grow and preserve food using NGSS/STEAM. Learn ideas to use STEAM in the garden to enhance student learning and how to use garden produce to create fundraising ideas and incorporate economic lessons during this online webinar. Register here.

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