Do you believe in the importance of urban green space? Do you want to create healthy ecosystems for pollinators? Do you support safe unstructured play for all children? The Somerville Community Growing Center (“The Growing Center”) in Somerville has been at the forefront of urban nature innovation for the past 25 years. In one of our country’s most densely populated cities, the Center is a quarter acre oasis where all of these things happen every day.

Many of the city’s current nature, wellness or cultural programs have roots at the Growing Center, such as: The Maple Syrup Project (started with partners Gaining Ground and the Somerville High School) and school gardens (now at every Somerville K-8 school) – two programs that are now supported by Groundwork Somerville which they helped start; urban agriculture; healthy outdoor play and yoga classes now supported by the Shape Up Somerville initiative; and outdoor movies and concerts. At the Growing Center, they believe in the ability of nature to heal and to bring us together as a community. With generous help from three city Community Preservation Act (CPA) grants, this city owned garden park has just undergone a significant renovation.  The Friends of the Community Growing Center (the 501(c)3 non-profit organization which maintains the Center) is launching its biggest fundraiser yet in order to complete the renovation work and fund programming and operating expenses.

If they raise $25K (site sponsorship level), they can pay for items not covered by the CPA grants, such as additional plants and metal and wood supplies for high school and college students to build our new storage units, benches and railings. If they raise $45K (program sponsorship level), they can also pay for educational and cultural programming and operating expenses including our site and volunteer coordinators. The Center is run and maintained completely by volunteers through the Friends of the Community Growing Center (FCGC). They need your help now to keep the Center growing, and to help us lay the foundation for another 25 years of innovation. Please consider giving today to the Cultivate 2019 Fundraiser. Any size donation is appreciated. All donations are tax deductible.

You can learn more here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-growing-center-cultivate-campaign-2019. To learn more about the Growing Center, our renovation and programming, please visit our website at www.thegrowingcenter.org.