In coordination with our partner The Big Garden, the Health Fund is excited to offer a special grant opportunity for Healthy Congregations communities to establish Giving Groves – little orchards with big impacts. The Giving Grove program has helped plant hundreds of orchards across four states, equating to more than 55 million pounds of fresh produce. The Giving Grove is a Kansas City-based network of orchard programs, with a mission to provide healthy calories, strengthen communities, and improve the environment through sustainable little orchards which dramatically increase access to healthy food.
The Big Garden will help partnering sites in local communities prepare for and establish a Giving Grove and will provide ongoing support and training to stewards at each site, who will care for the orchards. The July 7, 2020 webinar with Molly Baurain, Kansas Coordinator for The Big Garden, provides detailed information on the program and time frame. Fill out the interest form below to begin the application process.
The Giving Grove details
Grantees receive:
-up to 10 fruit trees
-all materials and tools needed for planting day
-ongoing support and training to ensure the success of the orchard
Deadlines:
Fall deadline: Sep. 1, 2022
Spring deadline: Feb. 1, 2023
Questions:
Molly Baurain, mbaurain@biggarden.org
Webinar slides
First United Methodist Church of Hutchinson held a blessing of the trees ceremony for their grove of apple and pear trees opened in partnership with Orchard Park.
