The Serving: October 2023

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View this email in your browser Friends, As the temperatures drop and fall's final harvests roll in, we're reflecting on our favorite moments of the 2023 growing season. The Giving Grove expanded into three new regions: Pittsburgh, PA, South Bend, IN, and New England. We broke ground on our 500th urban orchard! Professional sports teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Braves, and Kansas City Current joined Giving Grove affiliates in planting orchards. Celebrity chef Pyet DeSpain visited our national headquarters, leaving us with a delightful Giving Grove-inspired dish. Arbor Made Candles and Pie Bar Beauty launched custom products supporting Giving Grove orchards nationwide through sales revenue. We hosted our 3rd annual National Affiliate Conference in St. Louis, with invaluable assistance from Seed St. Louis. We're immensely proud of these achievements, and it's all thanks to your amazing support. Now, as we look ahead to 2024, we're excited to: Expand The Giving Grove network to three new affiliate cities, providing programming and financial support. Provide $58,700 in trees and supplies for new and existing Giving Grove programs. Enhance orchard education for program managers, stewards, and volunteers. Host an ever-growing Affiliate Conference in a Giving Grove affiliate city (announcement coming soon!). Our goals are ambitious, but with your backing, we're confident we can achieve them. Will you join us? Here's how you can help: Donate to our End of Year campaign. Your support, big or small, makes a significant impact on Giving Grove communities.  (*Hot Tip* Some employers offer a matching program for nonprofit donations!) Join The Seedling program! As a member, you'll get exclusive content, help plant urban orchards, and receive free OXO kitchen tools (while supplies last). Share our message. If donating isn't possible this year, please share our story with three people who'd love to hear it. Forward this email to a friend. Curious for more Giving Grove good news? Keep scrolling! Happy harvests, Erica Kratofil, MSW & Ashley Williamson, MSW Giving Grove Co-Executive Directors Giving Grove Receives Impact Award In late September, Co-Executive Director Erica Kratofil journeyed to Colorado for Denver Urban Gardens' annual Gather ‘Round event. There, she proudly accepted the Impact Award in Skill Building on behalf of The Giving Grove national network. This award represents the dedication of all our Giving Grove affiliates in providing impactful education for urban orchardists. We extend heartfelt thanks to Denver Urban Gardens for this honor, which fuels our mission of creating a greener, healthier world, one orchard at a time. On behalf of all Giving Grove affiliates, Thank you! Unlocking the Potential of School Gardens contributed by Richard Hodges, Program Manager & Founder of ReTreeUS, New England School gardens hold immense potential as educational tools that provide students with hands-on learning experiences, promote healthy eating habits, and contribute to the community's well-being. However, these gardens often face challenges, particularly during the summer months when maintenance becomes a major hurdle. Enter the Back to School Garden (BTSG) program, an initiative by Giving Grove affiliate ReTreeUS that not only addresses these challenges but also enhances learning opportunities and boosts cafeteria produce yields. Continue reading here. OXO Joins Giving Grove to Celebrate Seedling Members As part of its ongoing commitment to contribute 1% of annual sales to nonprofit environmental partners, OXO is funding new Giving Grove orchards nationwide –and contributing some of its fantastic kitchen tools as a thank you to The Giving Grove’s Seedling members.   When you become a part of The Seedling, you'll not only be supporting orchards nationwide, but you'll also be eligible to receive some amazing tools. These tools are designed to make enjoying your fruit harvests even sweeter and more delightful! Curious to learn more? Click here. Join The Seedling! Giving Back in Their Own Words "As a small business owner of an outdoor brand, I take pride in giving a portion of our profits to conservation efforts locally and worldwide. The Giving Grove provides a dual impact through our donations, promoting long-lasting environmental and social benefits for our local community." -Joel, Don’t Die in the Woods Local Giving Grove Directory Atlanta: Food Well Alliance Auburn, ME: ReTreeUS Cincinnati:  The Common Orchard Project Dallas: Grow North Texas Denver: Denver Urban Gardens Detroit: Keep Growing Detroit Kansas City: Kansas City Community Gardens Louisville: Louisville Grows Omaha: The Big Garden Pittsburgh: Tree Pittsburgh St. Louis: Seed St. Louis Seattle: Tilth Alliance South Bend, IN: Unity Gardens Want to bring Giving Grove orchards to your community?  Click here to find out how! Copyright (C) *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*. All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|**|LIST:DESCRIPTION|**|END:IF|* Our mailing address is: *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|**|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|**|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe