Community Gardens Program and Committee Report
December 2, 2014
Committee Meetings and Activities
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Sept 22 – Bi-Monthly Committee Meeting
Nov 17 – Bi-Monthly Committee Meeting
Feb 2 – next scheduled meeting
Grant Updates
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Bamberger Foundation – received $6k pledge for new CG
Nov 24 – Aetna Foundation received $50k for Fruitful San Antonio Initiative
Nov 21 – COSA Funding approved ~$37k for 2014 Carryover Workplan, $50k for 2015
Workplan
Junior League – grants used to purchase utility trailer, little library, compost, mulch,
plants
Kronkosky Foundation – delayed resubmission until January 2014
Myra Stafford Pryor Foundation – application for truck (now in second review cycle)
Cavender Car Dealership – approaching to request matching funds to Myra Stafford
Pryor
Event Updates
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Sept 18 – Boeing executives volunteered at East Side Sprouts Community Garden.
Subsequently GSA was selected by Boeing as a community partner for new corporate
volunteer program.
Sept 20 – Workshop at Texas Diabetes Institute: “From Garden to Pantry to Lunchbox”
Sept 28 – Seed Starting Station at Siclovia
Oct 4 – Junior League Done-In-a-Day project at East Side Neighborhood Garden
(progress on pergola)
Oct 16-19 – Representation at Junior League’s Holiday Ole Market
Oct 23 – Pollinator Workshop at Garden of Hope
Oct 24 – National Food Day Celebration at Beacon Hill Community Garden
Public Release of Metropolitan Planning Organization’s new regional bicycling map
which shows locations of community gardens
Nov 1 – Junior League Done-In-a-Day project at Lakeview Community Garden
Nov 7-18 – UTSA student research projects on garden demographics, urban agriculture,
and water provisions to community gardens in other cities.
Nov 9 – River Road Community Garden hosted Picture Your World Workshop
Nov 18 – New community gardens orientation
Dec 1 – Pollinator Workshop at Jardin de la Esperanza
Upcoming Events
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Jan 24 – Harvest Blitz and Seed Swap (combo workday, workshop, community event
also paired with a seed swap)
Jan 27 – New garden orientation
Feb 8 – Annual CG Awards Luncheon (Board and elected officials encouraged to attend.
Recognition of garden successes, awards to gardeners, lunch)
Mar 6-7 – Permablitz (LID/Sustainability project and workshop series at Pittman-Sullivan
CG)
Mar 19 – New garden orientation
May 9 – SicloVerde (CG Fundraising Event that tours community gardens by bicycle or
on foot)
Gardens on Deck – FEAST, Spring Hill, Keystone Heights, Highland Park, Collins Garden, Donaldson
Terrace, Friends of Forester, Casitas de Coronado, Sherwood Forest
Projects in Progress –
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Aetna Harvest Stations with team of local architects.
Research and proposal development for COSA update of Unified Development Code
with the SA Food Policy Council.
Research and goal setting for Urban Agriculture Workgroup with SA Food Policy Council.
Research and implementation of Low-Impact Development projects at community
gardens with TetraTech.
Collecting Annual Reports from each network garden for 2014 review and 2015
planning.
Compiling Community Gardening Participation surveys for 2014 program evaluation.
Coordination for UTSA spring design-build project at community garden(s).
Projects on Deck –
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Planning Aetna-funded Plot-to-Plate Workshops with UIW
Planning Aetna-funded Community Harvest Blitzes (combo workday, workshop,
community event)
Gathering sponsorships for 2015 SicloVerde
Planning 2014 Awards Luncheon with Junior League placement volunteers
Coordinating 2015 events with Junior League’s Kids’ in the Kitchen Initiative
Collaboration with SA2020’s Parks and Greenspaces workgroup