Giving Grove Blog- Kindness

This blog traces the winding path that led Ryan from law offices in Brooklyn to the cider-rich hills of the Catskills - and ultimately to his role in helping communities across the nation grow their own edible legacies.

Outgoing Giving Grove board member Gordon Braun reflects on his decade of service with The Giving Grove.

Giving Grove’s youngest orchard steward explains in his own words why planting trees is important!

The history of black farmers is filled with generational stories of fortitude and struggle.  In honor of Black History Month, we highlight a few agricultural trailblazers and their contributions to food equity and justice.

Gabriella Sonnenschein shares her experience at the Mitzvah Garden KC Giving Grove orchard in Overland Park, Kansas. This orchard is responsible for donating 1,000’s of pounds of fresh produce every year to local food banks and pantries. It is a place for fellowship and memory with a tree dedicated to the shooting victims of the 2014 attack on the Overland Park Jewish community.

Today, The Giving Grove would like to introduce to a longtime steward and friend, Ami Freeberg. Ami’s personal and professional life is centered around sustainable and community-driven horticulture. Her Giving Grove orchard is located at the community farm that she established seven years ago, Longfellow Farm.

Janett Lewis, a steward of the GROW Spanish Lake little orchard in St. Louis, MO, genuinely understands the importance of permaculture in the fight against food insecurity. As a community organizer and urban farmer, Janett spends most of her time at her farm, Rustic Roots Sanctuary, tending to her goats, chickens, a rabbit, and four beehives.

This month, The Giving Grove has a special steward and orchard to introduce to readers: Zachary Hoppenstedt with the Johnson County WIC orchard. The WIC orchard is located in Olathe, Kansas, and is part of the Kansas City Community Garden’s Giving Grove program.

The Giving Grove would like to introduce you to Laura Gatlin! Laura is the steward of the Carondelet Food Patch little orchard in St. Louis, Missouri. This food patch is a community orchard and garden. Volunteers sustainably and inclusively lead it.

The Giving Grove would like to introduce you to Bruce Noble. He is the steward for the Holy Family Community Center's little orchard. The mission of the Holy Family Community Center is to provide free sack lunches and clothing to their poor and homeless neighbors.

The Giving Grove spotlights an extraordinary steward, Tom Simpson, from Kansas City. The stewards of The Giving Grove are an essential part of The Giving Grove organization. It is from their dedication that The Giving Grove is able to help feel the hungry, create beautiful community space, and a sustainable environment.

To kick off this series of spotlights, we would like to introduce you to Kathryn Beauchaine and The Tri-Faith Initiative from Giving Grove affiliate The Big Garden, in Omaha. Tri-Faith Initiative is a truly unique organization. It brings together a synagogue, church, mosque, and interfaith permanent residences on a 38-acre campus.