The
Washington Youth Garden:
- Hosts more than 4,000 youth and families annually for hands-on
science and nutrition field trips, in-depth school garden programs, high school
summer internships, and family gardening and cooking workshops.We provided educational programming to 48% more
youth and families in 2012 than in 2010.
- Is keeper of a beautiful, one-acre educational and production garden on
the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum.
- Donated more than 700 lbs of fresh produce in 2012 to Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization
that provides meals to homeless individuals in D.C.
- Has
been featured 3 times in the Catalogue for Philanthropy as one of the best
small nonprofits in the DC Metropolitan area, most recently in the 2012-2013 edition.
- Is the oldest youth garden education organization in Washington, D.C.
(established in 1971!)
Our
mission, you ask?
The Washington Youth Garden uses the
garden cycle as a tool to enrich science learning, inspire environmental
stewardship and cultivate healthy food choices in youth and families.
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What We Need
A local family foundation and long-time Washington Youth Garden supporters have pledged to match every dollar we receive in this campaign up to $7,000.00. Demand
for garden-based learning has grown dramatically in the last few years and we
have been working to expand our programs to meet that demand. Here are some of the needs you'll be supporting with your gift:
-
School Garden development: We
partner closely with four low-income D.C. public and public charter schools to
bring school gardens and hands-on garden education to the school campus. Your
gift will help build school gardens and programs that are curriculum-integrated
and well-utilized by lots of students! See an example of one of our school gardens here.
-
SPROUT field trip subsidies: The
field trips we host at our one-acre educational and production garden are
always a huge hit with kids and their chaperones. Since the majority of
our participating schools have high levels of low-income students, we keep our field
trip costs low. Your support can help us keep these popular trips accessible. Feast your eyes on these action shots.
-
Green Teens: High
School Summer Interns at the Washington Youth Garden experience a rich mix of
garden labor and green jobs education. They spend an unforgettable summer
outdoors building their confidence and learning to grow food. You can support
their field trips, completion awards, and transportation costs. Read Bobbi's account of her intern experience.
-
Family Garden Day scholarships: We provide an interactive family gardening, nutrition education, and
cooking experience at our one-acre garden on Saturdays during the summer. Your
support will help provide scholarships for families that would not otherwise be
able to participate - and keep our Family Garden Days truly open to the whole
DC community. View pictures from a Family Garden Day here.
-
Nature Explore Classroom renovation: Our
Nature Explore Classroom won the Gold Leaf Award in 2010 and is a popular
destination for families and a popular stop on our SPROUT field trips.
However, it's made from entirely natural materials and is prone to decay. Your
gift will help us replace our stumps, benches, wood chips and sand box! Check out pictures of our beloved play area.
What if the Washington Youth Garden raises more than $14,000.00? (Remember: every dollar you give is matched, up to $7,000!)
Thank you for asking! We have many ongoing needs and improvement projects - we'd love to install a second bee hive and a perennial exploration maze, add another week-day for schools to visit us on field trips, and host more high school summer interns.
What You Get
1. You've just supported a highly effective and community oriented non-profit organization - that means you can be proud of yourself AND your donation is
tax deductible. The Washington Youth Garden is a separately staffed and funded project of the Friends of the
National Arboretum, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2. Perks! Check out the side-bar to see how we'd like to thank you!
3. A fun and beautiful education garden and natural play area that YOU can come enjoy with your friends and family when you visit the U.S. National Arboretum.
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Other Ways You Can Help
Even if you can't give, there are many other ways for you to support the Washington Youth Garden:
- Like us on Facebook - we post lots of cute photos, fun recipes, and interesting facts.
-
Share this campaign - help
us spread the word about the Washington Youth Garden and this campaign!
-
Volunteer with us and
help maintain the one-acre youth educational garden on the grounds of the U.S.
National Arboretum or assist with our educational programs.
See you at the garden!
