As many of our readers know, one of our 2016 grantees, From The Ground Up Farms, faced a devastating setback last November. Their 17 nonprofit community gardens, a vital piece of the community, were affected by the deadly Camp Fire that raged through Northern California. Located at homeless shelters, residential treatment centers, and women’s centers, they provide fresh food and educational opportunities for families and individuals in need.
From The Ground Up’s executive director, Jenny Lowrey, immediately began to clean up and rebuild. In light of this tragedy and Jenny’s inspiring dedication, The FruitGuys Community Fund provided them with a $5000 grant, in addition to our normal grant cycle.
Recently, Jenny shared an update with us, and we were thrilled to hear about their progress. Jenny said that the biggest challenge so far has been debris removal and ensuring that the soil is safe for growing. She said, “We just completed debris removal last week and are waiting on soil test results to finally rebuild garden.”
She also talked about how the gardens are continuing to bring the community together. Jenny told us, “We have an entire community excited again about this important garden,” and they have a group of motivated volunteers that are ready to get to work once they receive the results of their soil tests. In addition, the fire increased the need for these invaluable community gardens. Jenny shared that little cleanup has been done in the area so far, preventing people from replanting their home gardens.
We’re thrilled that From The Ground Up Farms is continuing to help this deserving community. Jenny and the volunteers are an inspiring example of what it means to be a good neighbor. Stay tuned with us, as From the Ground Up rebuilds.
