WHAT WE DO
*RESPECT CULTURAL IMPERATIVES *
#ZeroWaste
#FoodSecurity
* RAISE AWARENESS *
#ReverseClimateChange
#growYourSOUL
*MAINTAIN DIGNITY*
growingSOUL pivoted our focus and significantly expanded our reach during the pandemic. We ran logistics for the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program and helped distribute over 750,000 boxes, each containing 32-pounds of mixed fresh produce, dairy and meats, throughout West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and New York.
Overall, we fed 3 million of our neighbors in need; 1.5 million in New York City alone. For the efforts of the community partners in our Collaborative, growingSOUL received a Certificate of Recognition under The New York City Mayoral Service Recognition Program...
... AND NOW WE ARE GETTING OURSELVES
BACK TO THE GARDEN!
growingSOUL --
Sustainable
Opportunities for
Universal
Learning
is a non profit legacy project founded
to help individuals and communities
grow, preserve, share and recycle food
to create zero waste, replicable
solutions that ensure food security.
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growingSOUL considers food sovereignty to be the ultimate freedom and key to dismantling discriminatory
systems. We advocate for and promote environmental, social and food justice equality for all.
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Our EarthDefenders volunteer corps are a universal community, a diverse multi-generational organization, where young and old people from all walks of life engage in hands-on opportunities where they can own their knowledge, become lifelong learners and connectors, spread the word and be a part of growing a movement, not apart from it.
growingSOUL values building communities based upon respect, kindness and open communication. Our
programs help community members connect to one another and our earth, and in the process of growing food, helps grow our SOULs.
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Through our zero waste food solutions, we
CONNECT, ENGAGE & NOURISH.
Together, we are building the healthy soils in which
good food and strong communities grow & THRIVE.
WE ARE CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON EXPANDING OUR EARTHDEFENDERS &
PUTTING STOCK IN OUR COMMUNITIES PROGRAMS TO INCLUDE
THE REGION OF NEW YORK THAT WAS THE HOME OF THE ORIGINAL WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL.
JOIN US AS WE ARE GETTING BACK TO THE GARDEN!
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OUR VOLUNTEERS WILL SOON BE MAKING VEGETABLE STOCKS,
BONE BROTHS, SOUPS & STEWS
IN THE CATSKILLS’ FOOD RECOVERY KITCHEN
Our interconnected programs detailed below include:
Yard Link, Soil with SOUL and 2nd Helpings: A Plant Food growingSOULution for nutrient recycling via composting & growing fresh food production;
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Putting Stock in Our Communities: A Zero Waste Kitchen for food processing & preservation;
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The Collaborative for integrated equitable distribution;
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The EarthDefenders 4H, internship and workforce development to engage and train the community;
& Food Councils, Food Security Networks and Solid Waste Advisory Committees to oversee everything and keep us thriving. growingSOUL and our rural New York community partners are currently building the Sullivan Catskills Food Security Coalition hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension Sullivan County.
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YardLink
Composting, Anaerobic Digestion &
Food Production
We collect community food scraps
and compostables to effectively
grow healthy soil in which we help communities to grow healthy sustainable food.​
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Redirected 75 tons of food scraps from our wholesale partner and Culinerati kitchen scraps to feed farm animals​
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Diverted 1400​ ​tons of food scraps out of landfills via composting​
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Enriched the soils along the Underground Railroad, effectively “growing” new topsoil to cover an acre of food production land​
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Cultivated & Produced over 9 tons of organic produce on that acre
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​Established urban farms and farmers markets, teaching at-risk youth to grow, prepare, market and compost their food, bringing healthy produce and value-added products to residents in food deserts
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Launched the first municipal curbside-pickup composting pilot program in the Washington DC Metropolitan region; by educating through civic meetings, trash-free school lunches, and weekly email updates, we achieved a 94% participation rate.
We recover seconds and ugly produce and process them into bone broth, soup stock, stuffings, muffins and dehydrates that we donate into the community.
Engaging with growingSOUL in the kitchen is Putting Stock in Your Community.
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Distributed over 750,000 32-pound boxes of fresh produce, dairy and meat throughout Maryland, New York, Virginia and West Virginia to feed over 3 million people
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Diverted 501 tons of valuable nutrients out of our solid waste stream
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Processed & Redistributed 1,002,721 pounds of​ ​produce​
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Prepared & Donated 1525 gallons of soup, applesauce and braised greens, 5550 gluten-free protein muffins, 935 gallons of dehydrated fruit, applesauce and pumpkin seeds​
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Fed the equivalent of 835,601​ ​meals valued at over $1,700,000 including Thanksgiving dinner for 3000 at-risk families ​
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Donated and continue to share out 10,000 pounds of food weekly
EarthDefenders
Workforce
Development,
Education & Advocacy
We work collaboratively to create educational opportunities based on reciprocity to become part of the sustainable culinary world.
We work with volunteers ages 4-94 from all walks of life and partner with stakeholders from all aspects of food systems in our workforce, education and advocacy work.
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Implemented a micro-enterprise workforce development program
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Supported immigrant students by providing the opportunity to get community college credit for our high school horticulture program
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Developed apprenticeships for young people and adults with disabilities
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Trained 482 volunteers for 3175 hours, and students for 820 SSL hours
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Funded partial college tuition, food manager training and/or licensing fees for apprentices
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Co-Founded the Montgomery County Food Council, acting as Coordinator and head of the Environmental Impact Working Group
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Educational Co-Chair on Maryland Governor’s Composting Task Force
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Vice-Chair of Montgomery County's Solid Waste Advisory Committee