Paterson NJ School 12 Garden & Outdoor Classroom

Hello! We (PPS 12, William Paterson University's Dept. of Teacher Ed.) are trying to revive our beloved school-community garden and turn it into the outdoor classroom of our dreams. In 2015, School 12 teachers and WPU faculty and teacher candidates converted the abandoned lot into a garden with a grant from the urban farming organization, City Green in Clifton. It provided a wonderful neighborhood enrichment in an area where there is a dearth of outdoor green spaces, and where fresh produce is hard to come by. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, as well as an initial lack of infrastructure, the garden fell into disrepair.

We have started this GoFundMe in the hopes of reviving the garden, and creating a more permanent outdoor classroom and community green space. Every donation, in any amount, helps! We need help so that we can get picnic tables for children to sit at during instruction, benches for the perimeter of the garden, an updated watering system, landscape fabric to suppress weed growth, and additional small tools and learning materials. City Green will provide support in the way of fruit trees, native pollinator plants, improved materials for raised beds, and expertise. WPU teacher candidates will help with the building of the garden, and will work with children on gardening activities as part of the science methods course.

For donations above $100, in order to make this a tax deductible donation, please submit through our non-profit partner, City Green, using this link: https://city-green.networkforgood.com/projects/182077-donate-to-city-green-2023 In the "note" section write that the donation is for the School 12 Garden.

We are hoping to fund the following: