June at Growing Home Inc. has been exciting and impactful, filled with celebrations, graduations, and major milestones. We kicked off the month with the Peace Fest “Black On Black” love edition, featuring live performances from local Black artists, dancing, and more!

On June 13th, our Juneteenth Celebration at the Thursday Farm Stand was a hit with delicious BBQ, fresh produce, and fun kids activities. Raffle winners took home trendy Growing Home merchandise.

That same day, we received fantastic news: Growing Home Inc. was awarded a $5 million grant towards our Capital Campaign, part of Mayor Johnson's 2024-2028 $1.25 billion Housing and Economic Development Bond.

We ended the month with a lively Associate Board Mixer and Networking event to recruit young and diverse professionals for our Associate Board.

And finally, let's congratulate the 2024 Cohort 2 Production Assistants who completed our 12-week training program, building job readiness and success through a comprehensive and supportive workforce development curriculum.

Here's to more success and impact ahead!

—The Growing Home Team

Congrats to Cohort 2 Participants!

Cohort 2 Graduation is here! Growing Home participants will attend their Graduation ceremony today, June 28. Join us in celebrating their amazing achievement.

Shine Bright Community Center (Discover Center)

June 28, 2024 | 11am - 1pm

8560 S. Cottage Grove, Chicago, IL 60619

ET Graduates

Anthony Stanford

Chiqueona Lee

Denise Evans

Denise Oatis

Jonathan Santana

Joshua Dugar

Khalil Porter

Flynn Dixon

Lance Williams

LaQuansha Perkins

Laurence Phillips

Tristan Marks

Honorable mentions: (Khalil Porter, Brandon Whisenton, Denota Robinson all placed in employment prior to graduation)

IT Graduates

Troy Thompson

Davon Hazelwood

Jala Gonzalez

Every Thursday! Markets are OPEN!

Head over to Englewood Farm Stand on 59th and Honore. Open every Thursday from 11 AM to 5 PM. We accept Link and double your Link value via Link Match!

We'll also be at two markets on Saturdays every week through the season. Find us at Green City Market in Lincoln Park and Experimental Station's Market on 61st and Dorchester in Hyde Park!

View our full 2024 Events Calendar here

JULY 18, 2024: Grill N Chill Celebration

Join us for our Grill N Chill Celebration at Growing Home’s Farm Stand!

Local vendors, delicious produce and free snacks and meals, learn-to-grill workshops, activities for families, tours and more!



July 18, 2024

Growing Home Farm Stand

1844 W. 59th Street | 11am-2pm

 Get your FREE tickets here

Interested in being a vendor, resource table, sponsor or volunteer group for the event? Reach out to LaQuandra at lfair@growinghomeinc.org.

A celebration of community, green spaces and urban agriculture in Chicago Sunday, September 8, 2024.

Back for its third year, the Annual Chicago Urban Ag Crawl & Backyard BBQ brings together organizations, residents, businesses, and professionals to celebrate and support local urban agriculture in Chicago.

To purchase tickets, become a sponsor or a farm site, head to: chicagourbanagcrawl.org

Join Our Associate Board!

The Associate Board is composed of a diverse group of young professionals who contribute their time, experience, and professional networks to support Growing Home.

As an Associate Board member, you will assist with program initiatives and fundraising events including our Annual Benefit & Backyard BBQ, a popular small plates gathering. Associate Board members also volunteer on our farms and serve as ambassadors for the organization. 

Apply to be a part of Growing Home's Associate Board here



Calling all Volunteers!

From helping out on the farm to our community events, we need your help! Especially on the farm, it's a great way to help your local nonprofit and pick up some vegetable growing skills yourself.

We are now scheduling corporate groups for 2024 as well.

Sign up to Volunteer at Growing Home this year

Supporter Spotlight

Each month we select an organization, foundation, or corporation to highlight in our monthly e-newsletter section, Supporter Spotlight of the Month.

Growing Home is proud to announce that we have received a grant from the Albert and Anne Mansfield Foundation in support of our employment training program! 

Growing Home’s Workforce Development Programs served 120 individuals as we added our Computer Resource Center with IT Training. In our 12-Week Paid Employment Training Program, we enrolled 88 individuals who participated in the program for two weeks or more, all receiving interview and job fair experience and case management support and supportive service referrals. 

Growing Home is honored that the Albert and Anne Mansfield Foundation shares in our mission to support healthy people and communities. As an important member of our Circle of Change Giving Circle, their generosity gave us the flexibility to strengthen our job training program when we needed it most.

To learn more about the Circle of Change donor community, please go to growinghomeinc.org/circle-change.

Supporter Spotlight Special Mentions

Full Circle Foundation has been showing an increased support to Growing Home since 2014, We are proud to be partners with them and collaborate for our community and its holistic Development and Progress.

We are also thrilled to have Accenture as our long-time sponsor of our Workforce Development Program, specifically Growing Home's IT program. We would like to extend a special thank you to our Board Member, Stephen Gates, for his efforts in helping Growing Home reach new heights. We are deeply grateful to Accenture for their belief in our mission and their commitment to shaping the IT leaders of tomorrow.

For 30 years, Growing Home has been a nonprofit leader in urban agriculture & workforce development, serving the Greater Englewood community in Chicago with our innovate paid employment training and local, healthy fresh food. We believe Everyone deserves access to a Good Job and Good Food!

Learn more

Visit us at growinghomeinc.org or email us with any questions at info@growinghomeinc.org

Check out our Summer Newsletter!

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