Adding Community Value to Gardens
Beth Hanna
Hava Blair
Nick Heckman
Welcome
• Introductions
• Group Goals
Tallgrass
Prairie
Organic CSA
Farm
Community
Gardens
Sugar Maple
Woodland
Kids’ Garden
Troy Gardens
Trainings
Resources
Evaluation
“It’s interesting, salsa has everything in it that
I didn’t like, but I like it. I mean, it has onion,
tomatoes, peppers…but it tastes good!”
7
8
Yes, I would like to continue to garden. I would grow chives, my favorite, carrots, peas,
raspberries, strawberries, sunflowers; I think I might get chickens too. Not blueberries, I
only like those with ice cream.
-Marisol Llanos-Gomez, age 9
9
Riverview Gardens is a financially
self-sustaining social enterprise, primarily
focused on job-training for people in need,
utilizing urban farming in a park setting.
Secondary Focal Points
 Providing purposeful, dignity-building activity
 Providing transitional employment as people
prepare for permanent employment
 Working with schools to help at-risk youth
develop productive work ethics
 Making healthy food accessible
 Change our community’s perceptions of
people in need
Why Riverview Gardens?
Our community is faced with growing challenges:
 The number of homeless individuals has risen by 48%
since 2005 (LIFE)
 Unemployment was the most common primary reason for
homelessness in 2008-2010 (LIFE)
 The number of nonprofits has doubled since 2006 while
available funding has remained stable (LIFE)
 The number of people receiving food share benefits has
more than doubled in the last 5 years (LIFE)
 Access to fresh local food is limited for low income
people (RUDD Report)
Riverview Gardens addresses all of these needs
Developing Our Space
COMMUNITY CENTER
URBAN FARM
NATURAL PARK SPACE

Stone Cellar at
Riverview Gardens

Community Events

Cooking Classes

Bread Share
Production areas…
 Hoop Houses
 Outdoor Gardens
 Food Forest
(fruit/nut trees)
 Aquaponics

Educational Workshops
 Native Prairie
 Picnic Areas
 Trails
o Running/Walking
o Mountain Biking
o X-Country Skiing
o Snowshoeing
Supplying produce for…
 Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA)
 Restaurants
 Institutions
 Farm Markets
Open to the community
for daytime use.
An Aerial View
ServiceWorks
ServiceWorks provides men and women in need or experiencing
homelessness with transferable work skills. The program is
designed to foster growth as a coworker, leader and community
member through dedication to improvement in the following
areas:
• Quality of Work
• Efficient Use of Time
• Relationships with Peers
• Relationships with Leaders
ServiceWorks Progress
(Year to Date)
160
141
# of Participants
140
120
116
100
80
60
40
25
20
7
0
30 Hours Completed 60 Hours Completed 90 Hours Completed
Job Placement
Progress
Update
(18 Months)
Shared Harvest
• Farmers bring an abundance of produce to farmers’ markets
every summer
• Unsold produce can go to waste
• Connect local farmers with local food pantries by facilitating
donations of fresh produce at the end of the farmer’s market
• Volunteers collect, box, and deliver produce to food pantry
WorkShare
• Individuals in need volunteer their time in return
for a community supported agriculture (CSA)
share.
• Requires the farmer to train and manage
schedules
• With good training, WorkShare members
contribute significantly to farm operations
Cooking Classes
•
Demonstrate how to use fresh, whole
produce to create delicious meals
•
Outline process of meal planning and
budgeting
•
Opportunities to collaborate: UW
Extension, local culinary & nutrition
program students, local chefs
Neighborhood Market Initiative
•
Market stand on trailer can travel to any
neighborhood
•
Identify neighborhoods will low access to
fresh produce
•
Park in any legal parking space
•
No license required for selling fresh fruits
and vegetables
•
Identify leaders in each neighborhood to
promote program
•
Collaborate with local groups to make
weekly markets a neighborhood event
Hunger Task Force
Has a Farm
Hunger Task Force
Has a Farm
Hunger Task Force Farm & Fish
Hatchery
• Milwaukee County Park
System property
• Operated by Hunger
Task Force under a 30–
year lease with
Milwaukee County
Our Farm Feeds the Hungry
Free of Charge!
Our Farm Feeds the Hungry
Farm fresh produce
is delivered free of
charge to 81
pantries, soup
kitchens and
homeless shelters in
Milwaukee County.
Farm Facts
 25+ varieties of vegetables
 Provides reliable source of fresh
produce, including culturally
appropriate food items
 1 million lbs 2013
Farm Facts
4 Orchards
Farm Facts
Farm Includes a Greenhouse
Fish Hatchery
The farm also
includes a fish
hatchery that is
used to raise
trout, sunfish,
perch and bass . . .
Fish Hatchery Facts
for transplant
into Milwaukee
County Park
ponds for
recreational
fishing.
Why does Hunger Task Force Operate
the Farm?
• It provides a reliable source of high quality produce
to feed hungry people in Milwaukee County.
Other Benefits of the Farm
Include. . .
…opportunities for youth
and adult education.
Nutrition Education
Other Benefits of the Farm
Include. . .
…opportunities for youth
and adult education.
Hunger Task Force Farm &
Fish Hatchery
The fish hatchery supports a
recreational urban fishing
experience.
Hunger Task Force
Farm & Fish Hatchery
Conserves one of
the last significant
open areas in
Milwaukee County,
including a rare
example of an Oak
Savanna.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
www.hungertaskforce.org
414-777-0483
Maureen@hungertaskforce.org
Discussion Groups