Empowering and Feeding communities through gardens.”
Kim Wille, Founder and Executive Director
Jaywalker Alumni and A New Path clients had the opportunity to play in the dirt yesterday. We volunteered to help with the bed maintenance and new planting in several of the “mini” gardens at the Third Street Center here in Carbondale. The collaborative effort assisted Kim Wille and the Growing Food Forward non-profit in helping with the development of a few of the 60 plus gardens in the Roaring Fork Valley which grow food for those in need. The fresh organic produce will help help fill local food banks, such as Lift-Up, with a fresh, healthy addition to those most vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies.
Not only did we get the opportunity to be outside and to be of service, we left with a wealth of information on organic gardening, drouth tolerant garden design, and local hunger issues. Master Gardener and founder/executive director of Growing Food Forward, Ms. Willie was and inspirational and motivational instructor. In fact, by the time we finished our gardening we were so inspired by the project that we committed to developing a plan in which we could take over responsibility for the maintenance and harvesting of several plots around the Third Street Center. I will be working with our Alumni members, Jaywalker programs, and A New Path to make this a weekly commitment and ongoing part of our community engagement and volunteer programming.
Thanks Kim, all the men who volunteered, and a special shout out to Jeremy, at a New Path for helping organize this effort.
With Gratitude,
Mark Kloster
Alumni Coordinator
