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Join Us this Saturday-May 11, 2013—Yale Day of Service in Koshland Park

Barbara Wenger — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:35:28 +0000

Join us this Saturday, May 11th for a Koshland Park and Garden Workday from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
We will be joined by a great group of Alumni from Yale University and our volunteers from Starbucks and the neighborhood. There will be weeding, planting, mulching, sweeping, pruning, picking up trash and making the park and garden shine. Please wear layered, comfortable work-clothes and closed-toed shoes. Bring your own water. Juice and snacks will be provided. For more information, contact Nora Brereton, Director of Programs at 415-424-5770. Hope to see you there!

5.11.13-Flyer.pdf by Barbara Wenger

UC Berkeley Partners with CommunityGrows

Barbara Wenger — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:47:17 +0000

The UC Berkeley IABC (International Association of Business Communicators), selected CommunityGrows as their group project this spring to assist us with our Communications Plan. A group of six women, all students at UC Berkeley, spent weeks researching the best ways for CommunityGrows to strengthen our outreach, both in social media, corporate partnerships, and talent management. Staci Ja Yoon Heo and Camila Zattar led a team composed of Andrea Shen, Diana Luo, Stephanie Jang and Mei Ling Hui. The team met with our Advisory Board and presented us with two deliverables, which we hope to study and implement in the next few months. Thank you for the great work. We are excited about the possibilities and continued collaboration!

Cobb Elementary After-school Garden Classes!

Barbara Wenger — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:37:57 +0000

Thanks to our partners at the YMCA, we were able to add William L. Cobb Elementary School’s after-school program to our garden program. Adrian Almquist has been working there most Wednesday afternoons getting the site ready and mentoring a few young gardeners. Take a look:

Job Panel for the BEETS

Barbara Wenger — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:13:18 +0000

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 seven professionals came to talk with the fall cohort of BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens). They included Danise Sugita from Public Allies; Michele Palmer from Friends of the Urban Forest; Jeremy Siemers and Ashley from Starbucks; Brian Reyes—an environmental consultant/planner with the City; Ashley, from a neighborhood youth program; and Mathews Tisatayane, a nurse at UCSF. They each talked about their lives and what brought them to their current jobs. Many faced challenges and gained inspiration on their path which was very encouraging for our BEETS. The panelists shared tips and opportunities that would help the BEETS in their pursuit of gainful employment. The teens then had an opportunity to ask questions and network at an informal reception.For more photos check out our Flickr Photostream here.

BEETS Spruce Up the AIDS Memorial Grove

Barbara Wenger — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 18:51:24 +0000

Our CommunityGrows Fall 2012 BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens) volunteered on Saturday, October 20th, 2012 from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM at the AIDS Memorial Grove in Golden Gate Park. The National AIDS Memorial Grove is a dedicated space in the national landscape where millions of Americans touched directly or indirectly by AIDS can gather to heal, hope, and remember. The idea for the National AIDS Memorial Grove (NAMG) was conceived in 1988 by a small group of San Francisco residents representing a community devastated by the AIDS epidemic, but with no positive way to express their collective grief. They envisioned a serene place where people would come alone or in groups to hold memorial services, to remember among the rhododendrons and redwoods.

After a welcome by AIDS Grove Volunteer Leaders, and snacks, the BEETS joined a group of teens from the French American School to clear a stream bed of smooth round stones in preparation for an upcoming event. The BEETS, lead by Lisa Drogin, Program Manager, were assisted by Steve Nowaczky, and a Golden Gate Park Ranger. A great stewardship day and lots of fun!

Rosa Parks BBQ Fun!

Barbara Wenger — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:15:24 +0000

Saturday, September 22, 2012 was a fun back-to-school BBQ for families and friends of Rosa Parks Elementary School. Our BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens) helped out by leading the games: hula hoops, clothespin drops, bean-bag tosses, and jump rope. There was great food and lots of community to help start the new year. The grand finale was decorating bikes and having a parade in the huge play yard. A great success and wonderful fun day! Thank you Rosa Parks for having CommunityGrows tend and teach garden education. For more photos of this event, check out our Flickr photostream. Thank you Rosa Parks Elementary School!

Fall 2012 BEETS Cohort Begins

Barbara Wenger — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:45:02 +0000

On September 13, 2012 a new group of teen joined the BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens). During an orientation at the Hayes Valley Youth Center everyone put their thought down about the guiding principles of the BEETS, including respect, kindness, safety, responsibility and fun! After committing to these by signing their names on each sheet, the group took off for Koshland Park and Garden where they were introduced to best garden practices, toured the garden, and partook in a few fun ice-breakers.

BEETS Summer 2012 Graduation

Barbara Wenger — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:45:49 +0000

On August 9, 2012 our twelve BEETS (Band of Environmentally Educated and Employable Teens) completed their summer internship with CommunityGrows. They invited their families and friends as well as service provider to an award ceremony and luncheon at Koshland Park in San Francisco. These youth had an amazing summer with garden workdays at Koshland Garden, Rosa Parks Elementary School, Booker T. Washington Community Center, and the African American Arts and Culture Complex. They took part in the Mo’Magic Summer Mentor Series joining other teens in field trips learning about law, city workers, higher education, culinary careers and other job opportunities. They also attended a job faire at Ella Hill Hutch Center, went on a Presidio overnight camping trip, enjoyed the Santa Cruz boardwalk and Green Gulch Farm. They helped with the Mo’Magic bake sale in the Fillmore Center. They helped out at the Carnival for Hayward Recreation Center and National Night Out at Ella Hill Hutch Center. They will also be leading tours of Koshland Garden on Saturday, August 11th for the National Conference of the American Community Garden Association. The youth also assisted with our CommunityGrows garden and cooking classes and learned basic garden maintenance and horticulture skills that they will take with them as well. They all completed a resume. Many of them applied for jobs during their time with us, as well as setting goals that many of them completed during the summer.

Seed, Water, Grow

Barbara Wenger — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 00:38:44 +0000

On a pleasant afternoon in June, Nora Brereton took some of the Rosa Parks students into their upper garden to plant seeds, water and have fun. Everyone was thrilled to get involved. Water buckets for everyone. Sharing, planting and watching things grow. Kale, chard, potatoes, onions and mustard flowers — so many plants to learn about. Great job and thank you for caring for the garden!

Gleaning Greens and Chasing Chickens

Barbara Wenger — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 04:03:11 +0000

Spending time with kids in the garden can be so much fun! Take the after-school program at Booker T. Washington Community Service Center on April 12, 2012. This group of six kindergartners, busy clipping off leaves of kale, chard and spinach, were so enthusiastic and proud to share their knowledge and wonder of growing things. They took their bowls of greens and then separated leaves by types. It didn’t hurt that they found pill or sow bugs that roll into a ball, or pincher bugs that look ugly and scary but are not poisonous and don’t bite. Who was going to hold them first? Such fearlessness as they shared the bugs from one hand to another. Finding a snail was also a great reward, watching it wiggle around and stretch its body out of its shell.
The best part of the afternoon by far was going into the chicken coop and feeding the greens to the chickens. The joy of capturing the birds was matched by feathers flying and birds darting for safety. Thank goodness these chickens are tolerant souls. What a great way for the kids to spend the afternoon!