LOCALLY NOURISHED Doctors for Change Forum September 27, 2017 www.urbanharvest.org 713-880-5540

Mission: to encourage community, good nutrition and sustainability through the teaching and support of organic gardening. Our vision is of a healthier city where everyone has access to locally grown, nutritious food harvested from sustainable community gardens and farms. A non-profit organization founded in 1994. Serving the greater Houston area. Staff of 10, Garden Educators, and 2000 volunteers a year. Board of Directors – 13.

IMPACT Increasing access to healthy, fresh food Empowering individuals to grow food for themselves, their families and their community Providing economic opportunity to our region’s family farms and local producers Bringing life to core curricula and teaching children where their food comes from Encouraging responsible, ecological land use Engaging and revitalizing communities Reflecting diversity and fostering interactions across social and generational barriers Ecological land use also contributes to the region’s biodiversity, mitgiation of flooding and filtering of rainwater.

Urban Harvest Programs Community Gardens School and Youth Education Farmers Markets Adult Classes

Youth Education – Learning in the Outdoor Classroom Serving 4,600 students in more than 20 schools through programs during and after school 90% of school partners serve economically disadvantaged youth. Enhance learning in core subjects; TEKS related lessons. Children grow food, try new fruits & vegetables. Gardens include vegetables, fruit orchards, habitats and ponds. Nutrition education to reinforce healthy choices. Professional Development: Edible Academy – most comprehensive in region; Certified in Continuing Professional Education and Environmental Science; Curriculum support in core subject and online resources. FOOD BANK NUTRITION a great community partner – schools, adult classes and demo for snap!

Garden Oaks Montessori: HISD

Year Round Classes in Organic Gardening and Sustainability for Adults Starting a School or Community Garden Quarterly Workshop Fruit Tree Care (annual January sale!) Organic Gardening basics and more Series Certifications Permaculture Growing Organic Vegetable

Farmers Markets Providing a key educational and economic role in developing a sustainable food system and keeping food dollars in the community Eastside Street – Saturdays, 8 a.m. to Noon (year round) City Hall – Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.(seasonal) Additional venues periodically Provide venues for 90 small businesses, including 43 local farms from within 180 miles. Vegetables, fruits and herbs in season Grass-fed sustainable chicken, beef, pork, & lamb Goat cheeses, goat-milk soaps Eggs and honey Prepared food made with local ingredients Additional venues: Mid Main, Butchers Ball in Brenham, St Arnolds this Sunday! 11-4

Saturday Farmers Market Houston Food Bank Empty Bowls Also Featuring: Chef Demonstrations Nutrition Education Non-Profit Organizations Outreach

Increasing Access to Healthy Food FVRx: Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program @ Saturday Market through January Wholesome Wave, Target, and Memorial Hermann EBT/SNAP benefits at Saturday market kick off November 18, 2017 78% of Urban Harvest affiliated gardens serve food deserts or adjacent low-income, low access areas.

Community Gardens Program Expansive network including 133 gardens over 100 mile radius Five hub gardens

Donation Gardens Over 60,000 pounds of food are donated annually to soup kitchens, homeless shelters and housing and food pantries.

Allotment Gardens

Sunnyside Community Gardens

VOLUNTEERING! Garden Workdays “Dig it Days” – school workdays After School Garden Assistant Earth Day Workday! Classes Assistant Farmers Market Greeter Annual Fruit Tree Sale – January 13

Sandra Wicoff, Executive Director sandra@urbanharvest.org Urban Harvest 2311 Canal Street, Suite 200 Houston, Texas 77003 713-880-5540 urbanharvest.org