Success Stories/Testimonials
“My name is Michelle and I have been involved with The Growing Project garden at Stonecrest Rentals Mobile Home Park since 2012. I love the idea of taking an area that was once a parking lot and beautifying that whole area and making it useful to the community. That excites me to know that there are people out there like The Growing Project who are willing to take the time and efforts to help create such an opportunity for our little community. Myself and another resident help TGP bring the vegetables directly to our neighbors doors and they're always very excited to see us with big smiles on their face. The greatest thing I get out of being involved with the garden and The Growing Project is that I get to give to my community in a way that I love. there's nothing more satisfying than doing something selfless for others for my direct community.”
-Stonecrest Rentals Mobile Home Park Garden Resident Mentor
"Garden therapy has been an amazing experience for our clients. Liz has been incredible! She's taught us all about nutrition and gardening techniques. The benefits of gardening are endless, but I've enjoyed watching our clients build communication and teamwork skills. One of the best parts about garden therapy is that our clients are encouraged to sample what they've worked so hard to grow. Their sense of accomplishment is very rewarding!"
~Laura~ Direct Care Provider
"When we first moved to Fort Collins, we were looking for a way to get involved with an organization that would be actively working for change and promoting social justice. We knew already that the political activism we were used to in Philadelphia would look different here and that it would be more likely linked to issues related to the environment.
We researched several organizations active in the area and met with several groups but only in the Growing Project we found a group of activists that understood political work as one in which community building is a core tenet of what they are doing.
The Growing Project has already become a central part of our life in Fort Collins and my all family is involved in different ways. We deeply believe and support their mission, as we think that food justice is a fundamental issue of our times. We also appreciate the ways the Growing Projects promotes a more integrated relationship with the environment, the land where they are growing food and the urban landscape of the entire city.
With them we tend the gardens, we help grow food, prepare it and we then eat it together. At the Growing Project we also constantly learn, about native plants and organic agriculture, about how to grow and process food in the unique environment of Colorado. In the meantime our young son runs around barefoot and sometimes naked, playing with the other children, so that we are welcome as a family and can work as a family to make this town a better place for everybody."
-Growing Project Volunteer
"I think The Growing Project does a wonderful job in being a very welcoming, approachable community that volunteers return to because they not only find a passion in the cause, but find community and friendship with those they are working alongside."
- Intern of The Growing Project
"One of the residents and I have become friends outside of the garden as well. He is an individual with whom I doubt, outside of The Growing Project, I ever would have had an interaction with. I am grateful to TGP for being the conduit from which this friendship grew."
-Garden Intern talking about working with a resident from Fort Collins Housing Authority Garden
" We know that almost 100% of The Growing Project's donated produce goes to Food Share clients. 14,000 of our annual unduplicated clients rely on us for over half their food. 25,000 of our clients would eat less than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day if they didn’t have access to Food Share. We would not be able to provide even close to the 5 servings per day of produce without The Growing Project. Our missions align as we try and provide more locally grown, nutritious foods to those in need."
-Bruce Wallace, Programs Director, Food Bank for Larimer County
"This has been an awesome season with The Growing Project. I love coming to the garden and seeing new and familiar faces, feeling the rich soil between my fingers, and listening to the birds and breezes come and go. Plus, there is nothing like the sweet taste of fresh peas, carrots, and beets that I helped grow with a community of people."
-Volunteer
"One of the participants told us he went home last week after learning how to make fresh salsa in class and made it twice, once by himself and once with his mom. when asked how his turned out, he said, "it tasted exactly how it did in our class. i remembered all the ingredients."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about a Garden Time participant
"
"While clearing the garden beds, two boys burst into spontaneous songs that they said helped them work. Multiple kids said they felt stronger after pulling out plants and taking them to the composter."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about youth participants at The Family Center/La Familia
"Harvest has consistently proved to be one of the most rewarding activities for younger participants. They love to wash and eat on the spot as well as have some to take home and share with family members."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about youth participants at The Family Center/La Familia
"Three years ago I moved to Fort Collins from Red Feather Lakes. I have MS and had just retired on disability. I couldn’t drive anymore so needed to move to town after 23 years of living in the mountains. It was a really hard time, but luckily I moved to a house with a ¼ acre, fruit trees, and an old garden bed. I began spending every day out there creating and I slowly began to get better. One day I read about Food Finders in the newspaper – I realized I have a bicycle and extra time on my hands so I emailed you and offered to volunteer. I have some cognitive problems from the MS so at first it was a challenge to remember to do the route every week! But that weekly commitment became an important cognitive anchor for me, a responsibility again. And those weekly rides were a spark – I went to the Bike Co-Op and fixed up my old mountain bike into a trailer hauling machine. I began to love riding my bike, and now I ride it everywhere. I am in the best physical shape I’ve ever been. Going to the farm every week, being exposed to all that amazing food has also completely transformed how I eat – no processed food, tons of veggies, (found out I’m celiac so no gluten, dairy, soy, etc.) - and this more than anything is the reason I am healthy today. My MS is now in remission, I’m back in school, and will be rejoining the work force in a few years when I finish my degree.
I can tell you with certainty that I wouldn’t be where I am today without The Growing Project and Food Finders. I love my weekly bicycle route with a trailer full of vegetables! It symbolizes everything about this journey I’ve taken over the past few years. You and TGP and Food Finders have had a life changing impact on me, and I thank you."
-Sue, Food Finders volunteer
"These 8 weeks, I have learned more than I could have at school sitting at a desk. I had a lot of judgements towards the garden at first but I had an amazing time. For this one summer, I didn't get to decide what I was going to do. But not knowing was fun. I learned more about the homeless and that was amazing. I want to come back and volunteer when our program is over.”
-Teens for Food Justice participant
-Stonecrest Rentals Mobile Home Park Garden Resident Mentor
"Garden therapy has been an amazing experience for our clients. Liz has been incredible! She's taught us all about nutrition and gardening techniques. The benefits of gardening are endless, but I've enjoyed watching our clients build communication and teamwork skills. One of the best parts about garden therapy is that our clients are encouraged to sample what they've worked so hard to grow. Their sense of accomplishment is very rewarding!"
~Laura~ Direct Care Provider
"When we first moved to Fort Collins, we were looking for a way to get involved with an organization that would be actively working for change and promoting social justice. We knew already that the political activism we were used to in Philadelphia would look different here and that it would be more likely linked to issues related to the environment.
We researched several organizations active in the area and met with several groups but only in the Growing Project we found a group of activists that understood political work as one in which community building is a core tenet of what they are doing.
The Growing Project has already become a central part of our life in Fort Collins and my all family is involved in different ways. We deeply believe and support their mission, as we think that food justice is a fundamental issue of our times. We also appreciate the ways the Growing Projects promotes a more integrated relationship with the environment, the land where they are growing food and the urban landscape of the entire city.
With them we tend the gardens, we help grow food, prepare it and we then eat it together. At the Growing Project we also constantly learn, about native plants and organic agriculture, about how to grow and process food in the unique environment of Colorado. In the meantime our young son runs around barefoot and sometimes naked, playing with the other children, so that we are welcome as a family and can work as a family to make this town a better place for everybody."
-Growing Project Volunteer
"I think The Growing Project does a wonderful job in being a very welcoming, approachable community that volunteers return to because they not only find a passion in the cause, but find community and friendship with those they are working alongside."
- Intern of The Growing Project
"One of the residents and I have become friends outside of the garden as well. He is an individual with whom I doubt, outside of The Growing Project, I ever would have had an interaction with. I am grateful to TGP for being the conduit from which this friendship grew."
-Garden Intern talking about working with a resident from Fort Collins Housing Authority Garden
" We know that almost 100% of The Growing Project's donated produce goes to Food Share clients. 14,000 of our annual unduplicated clients rely on us for over half their food. 25,000 of our clients would eat less than 3 servings of fruits and vegetables per day if they didn’t have access to Food Share. We would not be able to provide even close to the 5 servings per day of produce without The Growing Project. Our missions align as we try and provide more locally grown, nutritious foods to those in need."
-Bruce Wallace, Programs Director, Food Bank for Larimer County
"This has been an awesome season with The Growing Project. I love coming to the garden and seeing new and familiar faces, feeling the rich soil between my fingers, and listening to the birds and breezes come and go. Plus, there is nothing like the sweet taste of fresh peas, carrots, and beets that I helped grow with a community of people."
-Volunteer
"One of the participants told us he went home last week after learning how to make fresh salsa in class and made it twice, once by himself and once with his mom. when asked how his turned out, he said, "it tasted exactly how it did in our class. i remembered all the ingredients."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about a Garden Time participant
"
"While clearing the garden beds, two boys burst into spontaneous songs that they said helped them work. Multiple kids said they felt stronger after pulling out plants and taking them to the composter."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about youth participants at The Family Center/La Familia
"Harvest has consistently proved to be one of the most rewarding activities for younger participants. They love to wash and eat on the spot as well as have some to take home and share with family members."
-Horticultural Therapist talking about youth participants at The Family Center/La Familia
"Three years ago I moved to Fort Collins from Red Feather Lakes. I have MS and had just retired on disability. I couldn’t drive anymore so needed to move to town after 23 years of living in the mountains. It was a really hard time, but luckily I moved to a house with a ¼ acre, fruit trees, and an old garden bed. I began spending every day out there creating and I slowly began to get better. One day I read about Food Finders in the newspaper – I realized I have a bicycle and extra time on my hands so I emailed you and offered to volunteer. I have some cognitive problems from the MS so at first it was a challenge to remember to do the route every week! But that weekly commitment became an important cognitive anchor for me, a responsibility again. And those weekly rides were a spark – I went to the Bike Co-Op and fixed up my old mountain bike into a trailer hauling machine. I began to love riding my bike, and now I ride it everywhere. I am in the best physical shape I’ve ever been. Going to the farm every week, being exposed to all that amazing food has also completely transformed how I eat – no processed food, tons of veggies, (found out I’m celiac so no gluten, dairy, soy, etc.) - and this more than anything is the reason I am healthy today. My MS is now in remission, I’m back in school, and will be rejoining the work force in a few years when I finish my degree.
I can tell you with certainty that I wouldn’t be where I am today without The Growing Project and Food Finders. I love my weekly bicycle route with a trailer full of vegetables! It symbolizes everything about this journey I’ve taken over the past few years. You and TGP and Food Finders have had a life changing impact on me, and I thank you."
-Sue, Food Finders volunteer
"These 8 weeks, I have learned more than I could have at school sitting at a desk. I had a lot of judgements towards the garden at first but I had an amazing time. For this one summer, I didn't get to decide what I was going to do. But not knowing was fun. I learned more about the homeless and that was amazing. I want to come back and volunteer when our program is over.”
-Teens for Food Justice participant
