Featured Charity For 2014
Generous Garden Project
The Greenville Derby Dames take our charity involvement seriously and love to give back to the community anyway we can in the hopes of strengthening and enriching as many lives as possible. This year the Greenville Derby Dames have chosen The Generous Garden Project (GGP) for our 2014 charity. The leagues charity involvement will not be limited to just the GGP, but it will be the Charity we work with throughout the year. For more information on the please see their website www.generousgarden.org.
The Generous Garden Project (GGP) was founded by Bo Cable in March 2011. With a shovel, borrowed land and a great deal of determination to provide fresh, organic food to the needy, Bo began attracting volunteers and donations to create an organization that today, is larger than even he could have imagined.
The GGP has worked with more than 3,500 volunteers, giving away more than 104,000 pounds of fresh produce in the last two years. 35 local area shelters, pantries, soup kitchens and other organizations feeding those in need, receive regular food donations from the GGP. Statistics show that nearly 61,000 people in Greenville County alone do not know where their next meal is coming from, and 76% of households receiving food assistance have children in the home under the age of 18.
The need for food to feed our neighbors is staggering! But the majority of food given to the hungry is canned and boxed, “non-perishable” goods. While these foods do have an amazing shelf life, the trade-off is preservatives and very little, if any nutrients. Nutrients are found in abundance in fresh, organic produce.
GGP actively manages 4 gardens around the upstate, and we’ve been asked to accept more land donations to expand all over South Carolina. In fact, the State has asked us to partner with them to take our organization state-wide; an idea that is currently simmering on the back burner, due to the red-tape that may accompany that arrangement.
Meanwhile, our Verdin Road garden, directly behind the Wild Radish Health store, is our hub and model for the organization. Its 4½ acres houses the largest Aquaponics garden in the Southeast, as well as traditional and raised-bed gardens, free-range chickens and a developing Children’s Garden. Formal tours of the garden start up again in March. For a $5 donation, guests are treated to a guided tour and history of the organization. For those interested in a more in-depth look at Aquaponics, and additional donation may apply.
Other garden sites around the upstate include Taylors Plantation, The Judson Community Garden and our new Hudson Road site. We also have a satellite garden in Iowa that will be opening soon.
The Generous Garden Project is growing rapidly, and helping to feed people every day. It takes dedicated volunteers and regular donations to keep this organization going. Please visit our website to learn how you can get involved. www.generousgarden.org.
If you, or someone you know needs food assistance, please contact your local church or community center and tell them you want fresh produce from the GGP. We’ll do all we can to work through local agencies to help feed those in need.