What does community outreach look like for a school garden in Maine and how do you go about providing it? Community outreach for a school garden can be as simple as building relationships both at your school and in your local community. As your school garden program grows and evolves, you may find additional ways to interact with your community.
One of the questions for our online Garden Directory listings is what community connections do you have? We ask this not only for our information but to also provide examples for other school gardens of what they could be doing to interact and gain support locally. Answers range from UMaine Cooperative Extension and Master Gardeners to local food banks, garden clubs, garden centers and more! Community connections can provide volunteer help, discounts, advice and even in-kind or financial donations.
How can you develop your community outreach program and what are your most pressing needs? Do you need volunteer help? Do you want to offer help to a local community garden or project? Would you like to donate produce to a local food pantry? Do you need funding for projects and would like to collaborate with local businesses or organizations?
Review these tips to help you get started:
- Make your community aware of your activities. Invite the community to attend an event such as a plant sale or open house and have a sign up sheet for volunteers. Put up posters, share activities on social media, send home a flyer with students…
- Check with your local food pantry to see if they are able to accept produce donations for local families in need. Then depending on their needs, set yourself up to supply them on either a weekly or seasonal basis. Don’t forget to keep track of what you donate!
- Find a garden club near you using the Garden Club Federation of Maine map and contact them to see if they are interested in collaborating and what they may be able to offer. Some clubs donate materials or equipment while others can share knowledge or volunteer.
- Talk to your local garden center and ask what community programs they offer for school gardens. Some of them will offer you a school garden discount and they may even donate plants for the garden or items for a raffle such as a plant or gift card. You may even ask them to grow a plant for you to sell as a fundraiser!
- Check in with your high school to see if students are required to do community service hours and find out how to get on their list. You will have to supervise but they can be very helpful to jump start projects.
Want to know more?!
- MSGN Resources: Teaching, Financing, Managing or Cooking in Your School Garden
- Kids Gardening article: Starting A Community Garden on School Grounds
- Garden Club Federation of Maine Club Directory Map
- Maine Food Assistance Listed by Town
- The Maine Landscape & Nursery Association Member Directory
