Growing Gardens PortlandIan Zehler

Garden Benefits

Community Organizing

• Community gardens increase a sense of community ownership and stewardship.

• Community gardens foster the development of a community identity and spirit.

• Community gardens bring people together from a wide variety of backgrounds (age, race, culture, social class).

Garden

Community gardens build community leaders.

Community gardens offer a focal point for community organizing

Can lead to community-based efforts to deal with other social concerns.

Crime Prevention

• Community gardens provide opportunities to meet neighbors.

• Community gardens build block clubs (neighborhood associations).

• Community gardens increase eyes on the street.

• Community gardening is recognized by the many police departments as an effective community crime prevention strategy.

Cultural Opportunities

Community gardens offer unique opportunities for new immigrants (who tend to be concentrated in low-income urban communities)

Produce traditional crops otherwise unavailable locally

Community gardens offer neighborhoods an access point to non-English speaking communities.

Community gardens allow people from diverse backgrounds to work side-by-side on common goals without speaking the same language

Youth

• Where food comes from

• Practical math skills

• Basic business principles

• The importance of community and stewardship

• Issues of environmental sustainability

• Job and life skills

Other Benefits

Food Production

Health alternatives

Green Space

Recycling and Compost

Increased property values

Strategy Diagnostic

Coordinate a community garden

Scout out new locations for gardens

Support garden/community organizer

Use truck to transport large items

Create online forum

Feedback from Strategy

High crime in scouting areas

Application that need processed

Scout locations

Help with school Q&A

School Q&A

Forum Feedback

Loved the idea

Great for ideas

Communicate with Community

Events Plans

FAQs page

Forum

https://muut.com/growinggardenspdx/

Simple Code that came be embedded anywhere on website

Forum

Benefits of Online Communities

Communities can draw revenues from transactions and advertising

Reduce customer service

Improved Brand Image

Instant Gratification from Customers

Improved customer satisfaction

https://hbr.org/1996/05/the-real-value-of-on-line-communities

Current Website

Final Recommendations

Place online forum on website

Online request applications

Ads to increase volunteers

Feedback

Loved the online applications

Not very tech savvy

No time for ads

Can’t keep up with social media

Wanting to stay more organized

What I learned

• There is more than meets the eye

• It can be difficult to provide feedback

What I Learned Cont.

Certain processes are there for a reason

Safety is always number one

It takes a village

Great Experience

I will continue to help

Learned a lot of about it takes to run a non-profit

Long hours with little pay

Rely heavily on support from community and volunteers