Thanking & Honoring Unity Gardens Inc. for their Abundant Annual Harvests

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RESOLUTION NO. 4408-14 )PardieXs A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, PUBLICLY THANKING AND HONORING UNITY GARDENS, INC. FOR THEIR ABUNDANT ANNUAL HARVESTS AND FOR ALL OF THEIR MANY NUTURING EFFORTS BENEFITTING OUR COMMUNITY IN PROMOTING HEALTHY AND POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES 6X6m-* Michiana residents have been interested in locally grown and produced food, with one of our earliest examples being the success of the South Bend Farmer Market which began in 1924; and G}e Unity Gardens was founded in 2008 by Sara L. Stewart, RN MSN Executive Director of Unity Gardens, Inc. and Mitchel Yaciw who combined their training and education in public health and agriculture with their passion for community. They started with one garden on vacant land in the City of South Bend which encouraged community gardening while strengthening neighborhoods and improving health. Today, there are nearly fifty (50) public gardens where anyone can pick fresh fruits and vegetables for free; and 6A9;m4 the Unity Gardens Mission: "Growing Gardens for the Community to Share" highlights the following opportunities: • "Physically by increasing accessibility of fruits and vegetables as well as providing education on nutrition and food preparation • Socially by providing education, increased social capital, and opportunities for the disadvantaged; • Economically by developing a sustainable local food system, recapturing food waste, creating new jobs, and increasing per - capita productivity ". G}fK;pmq Unity Gardens is a "collaborative network of community gardens originated to increase the availability, awareness, and accessibility of healthy, local grown with each Unity Garden focusing on two (2) criteria: diverse people coming together to grow a garden and sharing the food grown in the garden with the community "; and fie, through the tireless efforts of Unity Gardens, it is estimated that the LaSalle Square Unity Gardens help to feed well over one thousand families each year; and that over 2,000 families will be fed thanks to this initiative of having unity gardens sprouting up throughout the City of South Bend. Section I. On behalf of all of the residents of the City of South Bend, Indiana, the Common Council is proud to publicly honor, commend and recognize the vision, hard work, commitment and passion which the Unity Gardens' founders, Sara L. Stewart and Mitchel Yaciw have had in dedicated themselves to developing and growing a community garden framework which has inspired, educated and fed so many in our community. Section II. The Common Council hereby expresses our sincere gratitude to Sara and Mitchel, the officers and Board of Directors of Unity Gardens, Inc. for improving our community's health by increasing accessibility to fruits and vegetables; by providing fresh health food for anyone; by bringing d' rse eople together; and by providing education, increased social capital and opportunities for the disadvantaged. This Resolution shall be in full force by the Tim Valerie Schey, 3`° Di i Dy-Freli Ferlic, ADistyict its adoption by the Council and approval , At Large Large amer, 5 `h D,jstrict Kathleen Cekanski Farrand, Council Att'y