April Matching Gift Challenge Success! Plus, a New Challenge and Raffle Drawing for May!

A big THANK YOU to all of our wonderful friends and supporters, because last month, we not only succeeded in matching the $500 gift we received, but we MORE than DOUBLED it!

Thanks to all of you, in the month of April we raised $1,101, and this is in addition to the $500 we received from our anonymous donor! We are truly grateful to be able to use these funds to continue the Growing Center's mission in our 2020 season.

We continue working with a limited group of volunteers to maintain the Growing Center while it is still closed to the public, all while adhering to recommended public safety guidelines. Although it is hard for many friends of the Growing Center to be away from it at the beginning of the season as flowers are opening and bees start to buzz, this undertaking will ensure that we make the best use of the space that we can right now. As an organization, the Friends do have a deep commitment to using the space in a way that benefits many members of the community, and this includes supporting area food security partners later in the season with fresh produce grown in the garden.

The volunteers have seeded some food including peas, collards, spinach, arugula, and kale, and built a new raised bed planted with lettuce and pak choi. The hope is that our short raised bed, perfect for little hands, will transition back to a children's garden for the Children in Nature Initiative (CINI) later in the season. Our volunteer team has also helped with other site and garden work––maintenance, weeding, and hardscaping the more well-trod paths. The Site Committee is working on a management plan for the edible orchard higher up on the hill, too. Funds raised through this Matching Challenge campaign will support ongoing coordination of these efforts.

Next up is our May Matching Challenge. That's right––we've received yet another $500 Matching Gift––and once again we need your help! We need to raise an additional $500 in matching funds in order to keep this latest $500 gift.

To sweeten the deal (quite literally!): For every donation we receive in the month of May, each donor will be added to a raffle drawing for a Taza Chocolate Gift Box! Last month, we had 28 donors––so the odds are really good!

If you're able to donate any amount toward this effort, it would be greatly appreciated. And as always, please share your love for the Somerville Community Growing Center with friends, family, and your social media networks in Somerville, Cambridge, and beyond. Thank you so much for your dedication! If you'd like to make a donation, please go here to give.

Thank you to all of our generous friends!