August was a month of action for us at Growing Home. We kicked off the month by standing in solidarity with our community partner, the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce, at their Englewood Global Vision Dinner Fundraiser. This event, aimed at fostering the growth of small businesses, was a testament to our shared commitment to uplifting our community.

While we continue to offer our weekly harvests at our Thursday Farmstand, Green City Market, and the 61st Street market, we also supply hyperlocal, certified Organic vegetables to local pantries and directly to residents' homes. In just one week our walk in coolers are packed full and distributed several times over. Our produce gets distributed directly to residents through three dedicated home delivery programs including Beyond Hunger, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Growing Home's own home delivery donation.

Growing Home continues to gain positive media attention and recognition for its work on healthy food access workforce development, and plans to expand its campus through a capital campaign project. This month alone, Growing Home has been featured on a diverse range of media outlets, including Fox Chicago News, CROE-TV, CBS 2 TV, WBEZ 91.5, Block Club Chicago, and Bittersweet Monthly, discussing our impact.

On August 15, we welcomed Chicago’s First Lady, Stacie Johnson, for lunch and a Tour of Growing Home, Grow Greater Englewood and Urban Growers Collective. The Executive Director of each organization led the tour. LaQuandra served Salads for the First Lady of Chicago.

During the Democratic National Committee, Growing Home participated as a vendor during the Dempalzooza with over 50 invited community organizations and small businesses, representing their brand and mission on a national level.

And our programs team has been up to some great work! Our IT Cohort 3 - For the first time since the inception of the program, Students are enrolled in A+ and Security+ classes that are running simultaneously. A+/ 10 participants and Security+ /10 students. (4) participants have been placed in

employment.

Our month concluded with a Black Abundance Celebration dinner hosted by Grow Greater Englewood, during which beautiful curated sculptures were unveiled.

Here's to more success and impact ahead!

—The Growing Home Team

Chicago Urban Ag Crawl & Backyard BBQ is around the corner - join the fun while you still can! Spend time across Greater Englewood with delicious food, drinks, live music, urban farm and garden trolley tours, and more!

September 8, 2024 | 2PM - 8PM

Regular priced all-inclusive tickets ($100) will be available until the day of the event. $25 all-inclusive community ticket available to Greater Englewood and Auburn Gresham residents and businesses until the day of the event. Limit 4 tickets per person.

Please Note: Seats are limited for the trolley. Be sure to confirm if you will be attending the trolley tour. Guest are only guaranteed a number of seats equal to the amount of tickets purchased

Every Thursday! Englewood Farm Stand

Come by our Englewood Farm Stand on 59th and Honore on Thursday to pick up some of the ripest tomatoes you'll ever find. Open every Thursday from 11 AM to 5 PM.

Also stop by our tents at Green City Market in Lincoln Park and Experimental Station's Market on 61st and Dorchester in Hyde Park on Saturdays.

We accept Link and double your Link value via Link Match!

September 19, 2024: Grow With Us Celebration

Join us for our Grow With Us Celebration at Growing Home’s Farm Stand!

This family-friendly event will have delicious produce and snacks, seedling and starter pots to give away, as well as activities and free snacks!

September 19, 2024

Growing Home Farm Stand

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

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

Employment Training Progarm

Congrats to our Cohort 3 participants!

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.

This month, we are thrilled to shine our Supporter Spotlight on the McCormick Foundation, a steadfast partner of Growing Home.

The McCormick Foundation has been a consistent supporter of our programs, playing a pivotal role in helping us expand our impact and diversify our offerings. Their unwavering commitment to our mission is evident not only in their generous financial contributions but also in their regular engagement and volunteerism.

The McCormick Foundation is dedicated to fostering communities that thrive, with a mission to empower individuals and strengthen organizations that contribute to the greater good. This mission aligns perfectly with Growing Home’s goals of fostering community wellness and creating pathways to employment for underserved populations.

We are incredibly grateful to the McCormick Foundation for their ongoing partnership. Together, we are making a lasting difference in the lives of so many individuals and families in Greater Englewood and beyond.  

Honorable Mentions

We are honored to highlight Blue Cross Blue Shield as a vital supporter of Growing Home’s Food Access Program. Their generous contributions have been instrumental in providing fresh, nutritious produce to food-insecure areas within the Greater Englewood community. Thanks to their support, we’ve been able to expand our reach and ensure that more families have access to healthy food options. Blue Cross Blue Shield’s commitment to addressing food insecurity has made a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve, and we are deeply grateful for their partnership in our mission to create a healthier, more equitable community.  

We are proud to recognize the Chicago Region Food System as a key supporter of Growing Home. Their unwavering commitment to strengthening local food systems has been a driving force behind our efforts to provide fresh, organic produce to communities in need. Through their support, we’ve been able to expand our food distribution network, ensuring that healthy, nutritious food reaches those in food-insecure areas across Greater Englewood. 

 

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

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