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b 3 1 ' 1 n r r r mmun , arden5 Department of Community Investment Economic Resources Attn Mr. Dave Relos City of South Bend 227 W.Jefferson Blvd. South Bend, IN 46601 I Dear South Bend Redevelopment Commission: Unity Gardens Inc. is grateful to the city of South Bend and the community at large for such tremendous support. Together we have made a huge impact on the health and wellness of our community. None of this would be possible without strong collaborative efforts. x From our central garden located at 3701 Prast Blvd, we have supported over 50 smaller Unity Gardens, helped thousands of families gain access to healthy food and created community connections that directly led to opportunities for even those least fortunate. We have hosted over 100 free classes from the garden site and most recently offered a free kids day camp and healthy lunch program for the neighborhood children (including those from Beacon Heights). Along with our commitment to growing gardens and free access to healthy food, Unity Gardens has broadened our efforts. We now engage in solar energy, food reclamation and composting, aquaponics and hydroponics, native wildflowers, pollination studies, clover ground cover, Permaculture food forests, and year round growing in hoop houses. Within the last year, Unity Gardens has also served as the educational support for urban bee keeping and urban chickens (including chicken rescue). j !� Unity Gardens also hosts an area dedicated for neighbors to have their own garden plots free of charge. In the outdoor classroom community area, neighbors and others grow their own food. Through the years we have grown many projects that engaged neighbors who then create their own community solutions, sprouting connections to reduce fear and improve relationships. We have built dedicated raised beds for the nearby senior center high rise apartments who help plant and harvest there regularly. Many of these residents have become our friends as we all work together to reduce blight and create an area of beauty and value. Thousands of volunteers; faith based groups, schools, businesses, clubs, and non profits have visited the LaSalle Square Unity Gardens to help us grow! We have hosted garden events to attract and engage civic leaders, police, neighbors, and more. Students engaged in ecological research, monarch studies, peace studies, bee keeping, social justice, sustainability, water conservation, energy,,and biology (to name a few) find an outdoor lab in the garden. Since 2009 Unity Gardens has dedicated time, energy, and resources to improve the landscape and safety of the area. From trash and discarded liquor bottles and syringes, to flowers, fruit trees, sheltered areas and picnic tables all on site encouraging neighbors to gather and play. In an area where kids previously were considered trespassing or loitering, we now host a kids discovery area where kids are welcome to interact with ;f PO Box 10022 South Bend IN 46680 www.theunitygardens.org 574 315-4361 !