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South Bend Redevelopment Commission Regular Meeting — November 8, 2011 7. PROGRESS REPORTS Ms. Stewart made a presentation about the progress of STATUS REPORT ON UNITY GARDENS Unity Gardens since its beginning in 2008. She noted that the vision for Unity Gardens has always been to provide the community with an abundance of healthy fresh food and produce. There were forty -two gardens this year. The vision has expanded now to be "improve community health." Ms. Stewart noted that Unity Gardens' educational program has grown a great deal. It's one thing to make vegetables accessible to everyone, but it's another to teach people where their food comes from. Many people, especially children, don't know. Our goals have always been to ensure healthy vegetables are accessible to everyone, and that everyone has the opportunity to grow. But equally important is education: teaching people how to prepare the food once it's harvested. You hand someone some of this stuff from the garden and they have no idea what to do with it to make it edible. Ms. Steward noted that more importantly, they build community through gardens, providing safe gathering areas that make our neighborhoods grow again. Through the gardens and through education, we're learning to trust each other more and fear less. Homeless and poor people are working side by side with the wealthy and with service groups, shedding their normal social roles and mentoring one another. Therefore, our motto has become "we're growing more than vegetables here." Unity Gardens' role: • Garden planning • Year -round classes • Fund raising for the gardens • Securing land • Provide an extra layer of liability insurance • Assist with infrastructure — we've learned the benefits of raised beds, picnic tables, benches that encourage community. 2