Fwd: annual fundraising letter
Darcel Eddins
The Bountiful Cities Project
The Bountiful Cities Project (BCP) and Asheville's community gardens experienced astonishing growth in 2007 despite of one of the most severe droughts in recent memory. Urban agriculture is becoming increasingly important in the face of global climate change by bringing food cultivation and knowledge to the people. We in BCP would like to share some recent accomplishments and to ask for your financial support of this crucial work.
BCP serves the community by bringing together individuals and organizations working toward greater sustainability. New partnerships include Mountain Housing Opportunities and the Montford Recreation Center. In addition, we have continued to collaborate with the Shiloh Community Association, the Burton Street Community, and Vance Elementary School.
While BCP's partnerships are a vital piece of our organizational framework, our core gardens are equally important. Core gardens serve as models of sustainable urban agriculture that create spaces for community building, education, and experimentation. BCP's core gardens include our flagship demonstration garden on Pearson Drive, Dr. George Washington Carver Edible Park, the Womyn's Garden, and Joyner Street Garden.
BCP's mostly volunteer staff worked hard throughout 2007!
Our annual Birdhouse Auction was held in April at Christopher's Garden in West Asheville. Thank you all for making this a great success.
The Pearson Drive garden has seen major construction this year, including a rock-walled medicinal herb terrace garden, an outdoor kitchen, and resource yard. These projects were supported through a grant from the Conservation Fund.
BCP hosted the YWCA's Spirit Camp, both at Pearson Garden and Vance Peace Garden. The Strong Roots Youth Program was launched at both the Shiloh Community Garden and Vance Peace Garden.
We increased our community outreach through the spring and summer through a grant-funded community outreach position.
The college internship program has been expanded adding 3 additional interns from UNCA and one from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
A formal curriculum for experiential education programming in the gardens is being developed.
With your help we will continue serving as a model for sustainable urban agriculture practices for Asheville, and continue striving for economic, social and environmental justice, creating community, and working to heal the land.
Please take a moment because you live here and want to give here, and send the Bountiful Cities Project your tax-deductible donation to join us in creating a city that is lush, livable, and bountiful.