Two urban gardening projects in Indianapolis are growing much more than fruits and vegetables.
This small non-profit not only delivers fresh produce to areas where fresh produce is often scarce, but also trains local youth to grow gardens and build better communities. .
Both Soul Food Project Indy and Felege Hiywot Center train inner-city youth by providing hands-on urban farming experiences. The two organizations also help develop skills to become active community members.
Soul Food Project Indy, run by Danielle Guerin, has three locations in the Martindale-Brightwood area and recently expanded its winter growing capacity by building a hoop house on its Sheldon Street property.
Soul Food sells produce at farm markets and online market wagons. Guerin is also expanding its adult workforce, hiring three new apprentices to help keep things running.
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Operated by Aster Bekele, Felege Hiywot has been providing local youth with opportunities to learn agriculture using scientific methods for 18 years. It started with her 20-minute short science conversations in the classroom and eventually developed into a multi-site working garden complete with orchards and community plots.
Bekele said that when he started learning from students what he wanted to learn and what he wanted to gain from the experience, his energy for the program increased. Felege Hiywot not only teaches children about gardening, but former students have returned to the program to teach children about various scientific topics such as medicine and botany.
What you need to know about Soul Food Project Indy
What is your organization’s mission?
Daniel Guerin: “Our mission is to promote community health by increasing access to local ingredients and increasing hands-on educational opportunities on urban farms.”
How many people do you serve?
DG “We have served 36 households this year in our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. We get our share, which lasts 20 weeks, not including our unique customers at farm stands and farmers markets.”
What are your organization’s top needs?
DG “Capital. We are expanding and need more funding.
How can people get involved?
DG “We host volunteer opportunities on our farm. We post on Instagram and Facebook, and our website has a link to a sign-up sheet. You get to know when you can and what you can do.”
The Soul Food Project can be found online at www.soulfoodprojectindy.org or on Facebook and Instagram under the name soulfoodprojectindy.
What you need to know about Felege Hiywot Center
What is your organization’s mission?
Asterbekele: “We are faith-based and we say ‘do it to others.’ Everyone has talent. , is to teach them to give back that knowledge.They must give it back.Giving it back is the fuel they need to move forward and gives them great energy.
How many people do you serve?
AB “Over the years, we have served over 3,000 students. We have served so many students. Go and people will say, “There’s a lady in the garden.”
What are your organization’s top needs?
AB “Always funding is what we need most right now, but it is also consistently skilled volunteers, especially as we try to scale after COVID. Volunteers have really declined since COVID.”
How can people get involved?
AB “You can always call us or go to our website. You can find us there and send us a note. , we are working on a volunteer database for people to sign up.
Find the Felege Hiywot Center online at fhcenter.org or call 317-545-2245.
Make a difference with IndyStar: A season of support for sharing
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Karl Schneider is an IndyStar Environmental Reporter. He can be contacted at karl.schneider@indystar.com. follow him on twitter @karlstartswithk
IndyStar’s environmental reporting project was made possible through the generous support of the non-profit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.