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Page 2 The Unity Gardens Greenhouse Project, part of a larger Educational Enhancement Program, includes infrastructures and supplies for 4 season growing, additional learning stations at the LaSalle Square Unity Garden, and signs for Unity Gardens throughout St Joseph County. In order to effectively connect the community to healthy food, it is necessary to increase the awareness, availability, and accessibility of fresh produce. Unity Gardens can accomplish this by: • Lengthening the growing season • Increasing the educational opportunities at the LaSalle Square Unity Garden • Growing community awareness & involvement The Unity Gardens Greenhouse project will most simply help increase the ability to offer healthy produce to our entire community through lengthening the growing season. Even more importantly, the greenhouse will be the connection between the classroom and the gardens; propelling our educational series into action oriented learning and year round growing. Most importantly, with the greenhouse at our LaSalle Square Unity Garden, we will be able to harness the aggregates that currently lack access to our classroom educational series, keeping the neighbors and summer volunteers engaged year round! The Unity Gardens Greenhouse Project primarily provides support to build a greenhouse, growing structures, and supplies at the LaSalle Square Unity Garden. The ability to grow before and after the frost date will help Unity Gardens reach a broader audience, attracting new people and maintaining continuity with the existing team of outdoor gardeners, thus assuring consistency in our programming. Over 130 regular volunteers and gardeners participate in the Unity Gardens with thousands more involved with harvesting or attending classes. Four - season growing will keep neighbors, summer volunteers, Master Gardeners, and others involved in Unity Gardens. School groups will have the opportunity to visit the main garden throughout the year, building on their curriculum from the many Unity Gardens hosted on site at schools. Interns and volunteers, service groups and neighbors will be able to work side by side in efforts to help "feed" our community, and thus connect with their ability to be part of a positive force in our community. Within the greenhouse, Unity Gardens will also test a variety of sustainable heating modalities (including solar energy) and growing techniques, creating another track for education and research. Throughout winter months we will grow and sell produce (especially herbs and salad greens), creating a process for organizational sustainability: revenue to support the Unity Gardens programs. This in turn, will eventually help launch our ability to create jobs and job readiness 227 W. JEFFERSON BLVD. SOUTH BEND. IN 46601 1 P: 574 - 235 -9371 1 FAX: 574 - 235 -9021 1 SOUTHBENDIN.GOV