DBA Shared Harvest- Inland Northwest Community Gardens

In 2021, our nonprofit garden donated over 3,000 pounds of essential fresh organic produce and nonperishable food items to a local Food Bank. But we all know there’s a rising need in our community for food security due to economic pressures and Covid. You can help us make essential improvements to the garden to meet this rising need. Our goal is to double the amount of food we can donate in 2022.

 

Located at 10th and Foster in Coeur D’Alene, Shared Harvest was founded in 2008, and it has grown into a unique and beautiful community green space, offering 50 garden plots to individuals interested in gardening (who in turn donate 50% of their harvests to the food bank), and a “giving garden” section, where 100% of the fresh organic produce is donated.

 

The grounds also offer a gathering place for everyone in the community with picnic tables, benches, a stage, and walking paths. In this peaceful setting, friendships are built, ties within the neighborhood are strengthened, physical and mental well-being grows, generations are united, and there’s an opportunity for education on healthy eating and where our food originates. The garden also provides habitat for birds, bees, squirrels and other neighborhood wildlife.

 

But after 13 years… our growing boxes and other equipment are just plain worn out, and we need to repair or replace them if we are to continue.

 

In 2021, Shared Harvest benefited from an influx of new gardening enthusiasts; many with the expertise and desire to maximize the productivity of the garden. And this new team is predicting that the volume of donatable produce could be near-doubled in 2022. But not if we can’t replace the decayed planter boxes. Understandably, with shrinking planting space, our food production will shrink. Well… we say “Kale NO!” to that!

 

Our volunteers are more than eager to dive in to do the hard labor that it’ll take to make critically needed repairs in the garden so that we’re working again at full-capacity in the Spring. But we really need your help in funding these essential projects:

 

• Replace 50 disintegrating raised beds.

• Improve ADA accessibility with wider aisles and level terrain.

• Convert a collapsing retaining wall into wheelchair accessible beds.

• Replace unstable picnic tables and benches.

• Replace our dangerously decaying tool shed.

• Repair our perimeter fence and add deer fencing.

 

Our goal is to raise $8,500 to make these improvements. Will you help us?