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Title: Sustaining Hope: A Ten-Year Plan for the Growing Hope Center
Authors: Chadderdon, Rachel
Colangelo, Laura
Heeres, Joel
Lipinski, Brian
Steel, Rachel
Keywords: local foods
urban agriculture
Issue Date: Apr-2009
Abstract: The purpose of our project was to assess how Ypsilanti‐based nonprofit Growing Hope can best use the Growing Hope Center, a tract of land recently purchased by the organization, to promote garden‐related social enterprise activities. To carry out this assessment, we first carried out a literature review of relevant topics. We then surveyed numerous urban agriculture nonprofits and conducted site visits of those we deemed especially relevant to Growing Hope’s circumstances. We also surveyed Ypsilanti residents to assess which services and programs they would like the Growing Hope Center to provide, and found there to be sufficient community demand for a market gardener training program. We additionally conducted a survey of food businesses within Washtenaw County, which revealed that many local businesses would be willing to purchase produce from Growing Hope. We finally examined the role a food policy council can play in a local food system, leading us to the recommendation that Growing Hope form an Ypsilanti Food Policy Council. Based on this research, we have formulated two potential models for Growing Hope to pursue at the Growing Hope Center, which we have named the Food Security Model and the High Production Model. The Food Security Model targets a large number of residents with a home gardener training program, focusing on self‐reliance and healthy food access, while the High Production Model intensively trains a small number of participants in intensive small scale farming techniques, giving them job skills and the ability to earn income through gardening. We conclude our report by offering a general set of recommendations that can apply to a wide range of urban agriculture nonprofits.
Other Identifiers: 157
Appears in Collections:Natural Resources and Environment, School of (SNRE)
Dissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)

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