March 2025 – Southside Community Land Trust

Support SCLT Youth on 401 Gives Day: April 1

03/13/2025 admin Youth Program

Mark your calendars for Rhode Island’s biggest day of giving! On April 1, 2025, SCLT will once again participate in 401 Gives, the statewide fundraising initiative powered by the Alliance for Nonprofit Impact in partnership with United Way of Rhode Island. This 24-hour online giving event unites thousands of donors with hundreds of local nonprofits, creating a powerful wave of community support when we need it most.

Last year, SCLT received an impressive $31,117 during the 401 Gives campaign, part of the record-breaking $3.8 million raised for 597 nonprofit organizations across Rhode Island. These vital funds directly supported our youth-centered programs, including our initiative that employs approximately 50 youth and emerging adults annually from Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls.

Youth Staff Leaders James and Aaliyah at SCLT’s greenhouse at Galego Community Farm

In 2025, your 401 Gives donation will help ensure the continuity of this critical program during a time of federal funding uncertainty. Youth Staff aged 14-24 engage in hands-on learning at our urban and rural farm sites, developing skills in sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, and food system advocacy. As Aaliyah, an 18-year-old Youth Staff Leader in her fourth year with SCLT, shared: “This whole job has been a complete transformation for me… Nature! Breathing it in, getting away from every other trouble or issue that I have to worry about. Coming here and taking a breath helps to destress from all of that.”

Your support on 401 Gives Day helps us provide these transformative experiences while offering practical work readiness training, professional certifications, and career exploration opportunities in Rhode Island’s growing green economy. With 97% of our Youth Staff identifying as Black, Latine, or a person of color, this program directly addresses economic and food access disparities in our communities. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more information as April 1 approaches, and join us in building the next generation of food system leaders in Rhode Island!

Sanctuary Herbs: Hyperlocal Teas and Botanicals Flourish at Good Earth Farm

03/12/2025 admin Good Earth Farm

A refreshing retail experience has blossomed at SCLT’s Good Earth Farm, where Sanctuary Herbs of Providence has established a charming shop offering teas, culinary herbs, and botanical products with an extraordinary claim to freshness: nearly all ingredients are grown, processed, and sold within a one-mile radius. This hyperlocal approach creates an unparalleled connection between consumers and the land where their products originate, reflecting SCLT’s commitment to building sustainable food systems.

Sanctuary Herbs’ retail operation showcases the potential for value-added agricultural enterprises in Rhode Island. Visitors to the shop are treated to tea samples while exploring an array of herbal teas, culinary seasonings, houseplants, and more, all sourced with minimal environmental impact. Throughout the year, the company hosts “Open Doors” events at 1800 Scituate Ave in Hope, RI, featuring tea tastings, farm tours, and opportunities to connect with local farmers who contribute to Sanctuary Herbs’ products. Follow their Instagram page for updates on upcoming events and new product offerings.

Inside the shop at Sanctuary Herbs, 1800 Scituate Ave in Hope, RI

The next community gathering — “Open Doors: Mending Cafe” — takes place Sunday, March 30, from noon to 3pm at The Sanctuary at Good Earth Farm. This unique event combines sustainability with community care by offering garment repair services. Visitors can bring up to three tattered and torn items for mending (no alterations), or simply come to work on their own mending projects while enjoying the company of neighbors and farmers. The afternoon will include a weather-permitting walk around the farm, opportunities to share mending tips and tricks, and complimentary tea and refreshments. The event runs on a first-come, first-served basis with no registration required, though donations for mending services are appreciated. It’s yet another way Sanctuary Herbs embodies its “Health, Comfort, Community” philosophy.

The shop’s establishment at SCLT’s Good Earth Farm represents a successful evolution of the property’s capabilities since it was acquired it in July 2021. The 20-acre historic farm now supports multiple agricultural enterprises, demonstrating how rural farmland can foster diverse business models while maintaining strong environmental stewardship practices. With three heated greenhouses, two high tunnels, and expanding retail operations, the property has become a hub for innovative agricultural ventures that support SCLT’s mission of creating equitable access to land and markets.

For flower enthusiasts, another exciting development has taken root at Good Earth Farm. Blue Skys Blooms is now accepting orders for their 2025 flower subscription service. Subscribers can choose between weekly or bi-weekly deliveries of one small bouquet (15-18 stems) for at least 20 weeks, starting the second week of June and running through the third week of October. Early birds who sign up by April will enjoy bonus bouquets at the end of the season at no additional cost. Pickup options include Good Earth Farm or participating farmers markets, with delivery available to Cranston, Johnston, Scituate, Smithfield, and Providence for an additional $15 per delivery. This service provides yet another way for community members to directly support local agriculture while bringing the beauty of Rhode Island-grown flowers into their homes.

Federal Funding Freeze Threatens Vital Community Food, Farmer Programs

03/12/2025 admin 404 Broad

SCLT, DEM staff tour Hmong Rhode Island Association’s farm in Cranston, October 2024

SCLT is facing an unprecedented financial challenge as federal funding freezes and contract cancellations have resulted in a staggering $600,000 reduction to our annual budget. This severe cut threatens the very foundation of our work in Rhode Island’s most vulnerable communities at a time when food insecurity continues to rise across the state.

“This isn’t just about numbers on a spreadsheet—it’s about real people who depend on our programs every day,” says Executive Director Margaret DeVos. “We’re now forced to make difficult decisions about staffing and program capacity that will directly impact the communities we’ve served for over four decades. Despite these challenges, we remain committed to our mission, but we need our community’s support now more than ever.”

The impact of these cuts extends far beyond our organization. Last year, 25,000 people ate food grown on SCLT farms—food that reached families through our network of 16 community food access partners. Our Youth Program provided meaningful employment to 50 emerging adults, while our certified farm apprentice program trained 7 new farmers. Additionally, 350 community gardeners fed themselves and their families from plots on SCLT land, and 40 small-scale farmers—predominantly farmers of color—operated 28 small farm businesses across our urban and rural farm sites.

These programs represent more than just food production; they embody SCLT’s commitment to building food sovereignty and economic opportunity in historically underserved communities. Each program faces potential reductions as we navigate this funding crisis. Staff positions that coordinate these vital services are at risk, threatening our capacity to maintain the same level of support that our communities have come to rely upon.

As we work to adapt to this new reality, we’re calling on our supporters to help bridge the gap. Your donations, memberships, and participation in events like our upcoming Plant Sale directly fund the programs now threatened by federal cuts. While we advocate for the restoration of federal support, community contributions have become more crucial than ever to sustaining our work. Together, we can ensure that Rhode Island’s most vulnerable residents don’t lose access to fresh, affordable food and the economic opportunities that our programs provide.

Consider becoming an SCLT member, or making a donation to fuel our mission.

The 33rd Annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale Returns May 17 & 18

03/12/2025 admin City Farm, Plant Sale

Mark your calendars for SCLT’s most important fundraiser of the year: the 33rd Annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale returns to City Farm on May 17 and 18, 2025. This beloved community tradition comes at a critical moment as we face unprecedented challenges from federal funding freezes that threaten many of our core programs.

The event showcases an extraordinary collection of 20,000 city-grown, city-sown plants, each nurtured with care using organic and regenerative practices at our greenhouse in City Farm—Rhode Island’s longest operating urban production and demonstration farm. From vibrant vegetables and aromatic herbs to fruit, medicinals, edible flowers, native perennials, and truly unique varieties you won’t find elsewhere, the Plant Sale offers something for every garden and gardener.

Live music will fill the air throughout the weekend, featuring performances by Circle of the Drum, Chris Monti, Phil Edmonds, Mira Goldman, the ‘Mericans, Kenny Ells, Karen Isenberg, The Stinging Nettles (featuring Raffini, Ellen, Dan & Tammy), and other musical surprises. The festive atmosphere belies the serious purpose behind this year’s sale: your purchase directly funds programs now at risk due to federal funding cuts.

SCLT Members enjoy special benefits, including an exclusive preview hour at 9:00am on Saturday, May 17, a 10% discount on all plant purchases, and 50 gallons of organic compost—a $110 value—free with membership. This year, your membership and plant purchases are more crucial than ever, helping us continue our farmer training, youth programs, produce prescription initiatives, community gardens, and urban farm operations despite significant financial challenges.

When you shop at the Plant Sale, you’re not just starting your garden—you’re helping us weather a financial storm. Your purchases directly support our mission to build equity and resilience into Rhode Island’s food system, meeting the food access and economic needs of historically underserved communities in Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls. Last year alone, 25,000 people ate food grown on SCLT farms, 50 emerging adults found employment in our Youth Program, and 40 small-scale farmers—predominantly farmers of color—operated 28 small farm businesses on our land.

As federal funding cuts threaten to reduce our capacity to serve, your participation in the Plant Sale becomes an act of community solidarity. Every seedling purchased helps sustain the programs that our communities rely on for food security and economic opportunity. Join us at City Farm (168 West Clifford Street, Providence, RI) on May 17 and 18 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, and help us continue growing not just plants, but hope, opportunity, and resilience for Rhode Island’s food system.

Want to get more involved? Register to volunteer during the Plant Sale or learn more about becoming an SCLT Member.

SCLT Voices Crucial Perspective at RI’s First Nutrition Security Forum

03/12/2025 admin Aggregation, City Farm, VeggieRx

Rich and Kakeena presenting at the first Statewide Forum on Nutrition Security

SCLT staff brought critical frontline experience to Rhode Island’s inaugural Nutrition Security Forum, held March 10, where City Farm Steward Rich Pederson and Food Program Coordinator Kakeena Castro participated in a panel discussion examining the real-world effectiveness of our state’s food access programs.

The panel, which focused on the end-to-end user experience in Rhode Island’s current food access landscape, provided a unique opportunity for SCLT to elevate the voices and experiences of those we serve daily. Castro and Pederson shared insights from years of direct work with communities, farmers, and food access partners.

During the forum, Castro detailed the comprehensive support SCLT provides: “Our Farmer Training and Produce Aggregation Programs support farmers in a number of ways. We help farmers from production to distribution. Farmers are applying for small grants and we help them with that. We help improve infrastructure at the farms. We help farmers attend workshops to learn more about pest management, soil health, cover cropping.”

Castro also highlighted SCLT’s 20-week distribution program, explaining, “During the season, we’re purchasing produce from farmers and we’re distributing it to families who are nutrition insecure, through one of our food access partners.” This model creates what Pederson aptly called “hyperlocal commerce,” strengthening community food systems while addressing immediate nutritional needs.

One of the most impactful aspects of SCLT’s work, as Castro emphasized, is breaking down barriers for immigrant farmers: “It’s been very impactful for the farmers, especially with the language and technology barriers, we really are able to sit side by side with them and help them navigate the food system so that they can benefit from the money in the local food system that larger producers have access to.”

Castro, right, and Pederson after the panel discussion

The forum served several critical purposes: increasing awareness and understanding of current fruit and vegetable programs; comparing Rhode Island’s approaches to regional and national models; and highlighting program impacts on economic health, environmental sustainability, and participant wellbeing. With federal nutrition assistance programs facing unprecedented threats, this dialogue couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.

The connections forged at this inaugural forum will help strengthen the coalition of organizations working to ensure Rhode Islanders have reliable access to nutritious food. As policies and programs evolve, SCLT will continue advocating for solutions that address the root causes of food insecurity while building more resilient local food systems that serve our communities where they are.

Support SCLT Youth on 401 Gives Day: April 1

Sanctuary Herbs: Hyperlocal Teas and Botanicals Flourish at Good Earth Farm

Federal Funding Freeze Threatens Vital Community Food, Farmer Programs

The 33rd Annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale Returns May 17 & 18

SCLT Voices Crucial Perspective at RI’s First Nutrition Security Forum

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SCLT Voices Crucial Perspective at RI’s First Nutrition Security Forum