admin – Southside Community Land Trust

Breaking Ground on Food System Resilience: SCLT’s Cranston Food Hub Takes Shape

08/22/2025 admin Aggregation, Cranston, Urban Edge Farm, VeggieRx

After months of planning and preparation, Southside Community Land Trust has officially broken ground on the Cranston Food Hub at Urban Edge Farm, a transformational project that will strengthen Rhode Island’s local food system from the ground up. With construction set to begin this summer, this $1.7 million facility represents a crucial investment in the middle of our food supply chain, addressing critical infrastructure gaps that have long limited the growth potential of small-scale, historically underserved farmers in the Providence Metro Area.

The 4,000 square foot facility will serve as a comprehensive post-harvest handling, storage, processing, and distribution hub, dramatically expanding capacity for the 155 direct beneficiaries including SCLT farmers, partner organizations, and other regional producers. The hub will feature modern pack lines for washing and processing, three walk-in humidity-controlled coolers totaling 4,800 cubic feet, and a walk-in freezer – infrastructure that will allow farmers to handle significantly larger volumes while maintaining the highest food safety standards. Perhaps most importantly, the facility will connect to municipal water and sewer systems, replacing an aging well system and failed septic infrastructure that has posed ongoing challenges for farm operations.

This project comes at a critical time for Rhode Island’s agricultural community. With the state having the highest agricultural real estate values in the nation at $24,059 per acre – six times the national average – small farmers face enormous pressure to maximize productivity on limited land. Currently, 72% of Rhode Island farms occupy fewer than 50 acres, and 61% generate less than $10,000 in annual revenue. The Cranston Food Hub will help level the playing field by providing shared infrastructure that individual small farms could never afford on their own.

The impact extends far beyond farm economics. In the communities SCLT serves, up to 60% of families live below the federal poverty level, and food insecurity affects 29% of households statewide, rising to nearly 50% among Black and Latino families. The hub will significantly boost SCLT’s Produce Aggregation Program, which has seen remarkable growth from $3,500 in farmer revenues in 2017 to $190,000 in 2023. This facility will ensure that fresh, culturally familiar produce from local farms can reach thousands more Rhode Islanders, including through SCLT’s innovative VeggieRx program that partners with healthcare providers to prescribe fresh produce to food-insecure patients.

The collaborative nature of this project reflects its broad community impact. Partner organizations including Farm Fresh Rhode Island, Hope & Main, the Hmong United Association of Rhode Island, and numerous individual farms will utilize the facility, creating new market opportunities and strengthening connections throughout the local food network. More than 75% of farmers in SCLT’s network identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color, with 66% being women – demographics that have historically faced barriers to accessing adequate post-harvest infrastructure.

Looking ahead, this investment in climate-smart infrastructure positions Rhode Island’s food system for long-term resilience. The facility’s 20-year lifespan means it can evolve alongside changing agricultural needs while supporting SCLT’s expanding farmer training programs and land access initiatives. As extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions continue to threaten food security nationwide, projects like the Cranston Food Hub demonstrate how strategic investments in local infrastructure can create lasting solutions that benefit farmers, consumers, and communities alike.

With construction beginning soon and the facility expected to be operational by summer 2027, the Cranston Food Hub represents more than just a building. It’s a foundation for a more equitable, resilient, and thriving local food system that will serve Rhode Island for generations to come.

Wellness at RI’s largest African Market

08/22/2025 admin 404 Broad

West African Superstore, Rhode Island’s largest African market, has officially enrolled in the state’s innovative Eat Well Be Well program, marking a significant milestone for food access in Providence’s Southside community. Located in the Southside Community Land Trust’s Healthy Food Hub at 404 Broad Street, the superstore serves a neighborhood where up to 86% of residents live in low-income, low food access areas. Owner Luna Walker’s market, which specializes in authentic West African ingredients, imports, and local produce, will now offer SNAP recipients an additional 50 cents in benefits for every dollar spent on qualifying fruits and vegetables, with up to $25 in extra monthly benefits automatically loaded onto their EBT cards.

Rhode Island’s Eat Well Be Well program launched in January 2024 as the first statewide nutrition incentive program of its kind in the United States. The initiative was created to address food insecurity affecting approximately 140,000 SNAP recipients across the state, or roughly 12-13% of Rhode Island’s population. With one in four Rhode Island families with children experiencing hunger, according to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank, the program provides a crucial safety net by making fresh produce more affordable for those who need it most. The pilot program has already demonstrated success, with participants earning about $1.1 million in healthy food incentives during its first six months of operation.

For the West African community in Providence, this enrollment represents more than just expanded access to nutrition benefits; it’s a cultural bridge that honors food traditions while promoting health. Luna Walker’s superstore offers ingredients that are staples in West African cuisine, including fresh okra, leafy greens, herbs, and other produce that forms the foundation of traditional dishes from Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana, and other West African nations. These foods, which are naturally nutritious and qualify for the program’s incentives, can now be purchased with the additional benefit match, making it easier for families to maintain their cultural food practices while stretching their grocery budgets.

Southside Community Land Trust’s Healthy Food Hub, where West African Superstore is located, was specifically designed to bring nutritious, fresh, and culturally appealing food to an area that has long been considered a food desert. The hub houses multiple food businesses, including Black Beans PVD and D’s Spot, creating a vibrant marketplace that serves the diverse needs of the Trinity Square neighborhood. This concentration of healthy food options, combined with the Eat Well Be Well incentives, creates a powerful combination for addressing food insecurity in one of Providence’s most underserved areas.

The program works seamlessly for customers. SNAP recipients receive the incentive automatically at checkout when purchasing eligible fruits and vegetables, with no additional steps required. Qualifying items include fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs, salad kits, edible seeds, and even potted fruit and vegetable plants. The additional benefits are immediately credited to customers’ EBT cards and can be used to purchase any SNAP-eligible item, providing flexibility for families to meet their broader grocery needs.

Luna Walker’s decision to join the program reflects her commitment to serving the community beyond simply providing access to traditional ingredients. By participating in Eat Well Be Well, she’s ensuring that families can afford the fresh produce that forms the backbone of healthy West African cooking, from the leafy greens essential for soups and stews to the fresh peppers and herbs that bring authentic flavors to traditional dishes. This connection between cultural food practices and nutrition incentives creates a unique opportunity for community members to eat well while honoring their heritage.

The enrollment of West African Superstore in the Eat Well Be Well program represents a broader movement toward food justice in Rhode Island. As the state continues to expand the program beyond its initial partners of Stop & Shop and Walmart, the inclusion of smaller, culturally specific markets like the West African Superstore demonstrates a commitment to serving all communities equitably. For Providence’s West African residents, this means that healthy eating doesn’t require abandoning cultural food traditions; instead, the program makes those traditions more accessible and affordable.

Looking ahead, the success of the Eat Well Be Well program at West African Superstore could serve as a model for engaging other culturally specific food retailers across Rhode Island and beyond. As state officials work to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability, the participation of diverse community markets like Luna’s will be crucial in demonstrating that nutrition incentives can work across all communities, honoring cultural diversity while promoting health equity. For the families who shop at West African Superstore, this enrollment means that choosing healthy, traditional foods just became a little easier, and a lot more affordable.

Growing Forward: Major Garden Improvements Transform SCLT’s Community Spaces

08/22/2025 admin Community Garden, Galego, Southside Community Land Trust

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This year has been transformative for SCLT’s community gardens network, with major infrastructure upgrades across multiple sites that have dramatically improved both functionality and gardener satisfaction. These improvements represent years of planning and community input, addressing longstanding challenges while setting the foundation for continued growth and accessibility.

The most comprehensive transformation took place at Brattle Garden, where the entire layout received a complete overhaul. Working alongside Building Futures and dedicated gardeners, SCLT staff tore out old rotting beds and removed unused, deteriorating infrastructure that had accumulated over years of piecemeal additions. The garden’s previous layout had been chronically underused, with dead spaces that went unmaintained and an inefficient design that made management difficult. The new layout gives each plot significantly more space, allows gardeners with multiple plots to have them conjoined, and eliminates the problematic dead zones. The results speak for themselves: the garden looks better than it ever has during SCLT’s tenure, gardeners express consistent satisfaction with their improved spaces, and the maintenance burden on staff has been notably reduced.

Safety and security improvements were prioritized at Potter Garden, where the old fence presented both aesthetic and functional problems. The previous barrier varied wildly in height, standing just three feet tall in some sections while reaching six feet in others, creating an inconsistent and inadequate perimeter. The new uniform six-foot fence not only improves security but also promises greater longevity, protecting the garden investment for years to come. A final seven-foot section remains to be completed in the coming weeks, which will wrap up this important security upgrade.

At Glenham Garden, a long-awaited dream became reality with the completion of a proper shade and rain shelter. For years, the garden had only a frame structure covered by temporary tarps; hardly a long-term solution for gardeners seeking protection from serious weather. Thanks to generous donor support, Down City Design was able to install a proper roof and create a complete outdoor workspace that fits the space perfectly. The project included new bench and table arrangements with built-in storage, plus a dedicated washing counter. The old table was relocated to Garfield Garden, where it fits better and serves that community’s needs. Gardeners have expressed tremendous satisfaction with finally having reliable protection from rain and sun during their garden work.

Galego Garden benefited from a People’s Garden grant that enabled significant site improvements focused on accessibility and youth programming. The project involved regrading the front area and rerouting pathways to improve both pedestrian and vehicle access for supply deliveries. New gravel pathways reduce dead space and help with ongoing weed management challenges. The work also opened up attractive new planting areas for both youth participants and community gardeners. Beyond the physical improvements, the grant allowed the garden to acquire high-quality compost to enrich growing conditions and beekeeping equipment for Ana, one of the garden leaders, enabling her to introduce young people to basic beekeeping skills as part of expanded educational programming.

Looking ahead to the coming season, SCLT is preparing for another significant accessibility initiative thanks to support from the Sherlock Center’s Access for All Abilities Mini Grant. Construction will begin this November on accessible raised garden beds at both Charles Street and Garfield community gardens. The project will install four new wheelchair-accessible raised beds designed at optimal heights with proper clearance for gardeners using wheelchairs, walkers, or those who have difficulty bending. Each location will also receive adaptive gardening tools with ergonomic handles and new stabilized pathways connecting the beds to entrances and water sources.

These accessibility improvements directly respond to longstanding requests from seniors at the Charles Street senior living complex and clients of Progresso Latino who have wanted to participate in community gardening but faced physical barriers. The project addresses a critical gap in inclusive outdoor recreation opportunities, ensuring that disability is no longer a barrier to experiencing the therapeutic benefits, nutritional advantages, and meaningful social connections that flourish in SCLT’s gardens. Construction will be completed by early spring 2026, with celebratory spring planting events planned to welcome new gardeners of all abilities to these transformed spaces.

Together, these infrastructure investments reflect SCLT’s commitment to creating sustainable, welcoming, and accessible spaces where all community members can thrive. From improved layouts and enhanced security to weather protection and universal design, these upgrades ensure our gardens will continue serving Providence’s diverse neighborhoods for decades to come, adapting to meet the evolving needs of our growing gardening community.

Youth Designers Unveil Community Garden Enhancement in Providence Partnership

07/07/2025 admin Community Garden

DownCity Design students cutting the ribbon at the new shade structure

Providence celebrated the power of youth-led community design on Thursday, June 12, when DownCity Design and Southside Community Land Trust unveiled a new shade gazebo and washing station at the Glenham Street Community Garden. The evening event showcased the latest achievement of DownCity Design’s 2024-25 Design/Build Studio interns, who spent months designing and constructing the multi-functional structure for the South Providence garden.

The unveiling represented more than just a ribbon-cutting ceremony—it demonstrated how youth-centered design can address real community needs while empowering the next generation of problem solvers. DownCity Design, founded in 2009, has grown to engage 450 underserved teens annually in creating structures and graphics for public spaces, with over 3,000 participants collaboratively building more than 100 permanent amenities for Providence-area communities. The Glenham Street project emerged from the organization’s mission to empower people to imagine and create better futures for their communities, using the tools of design.

For SCLT, which has operated community gardens since its founding in 1981, the partnership with DownCity Design exemplified their commitment to community-driven solutions. The organization began when South Providence residents, Hmong refugees, and Brown University students transformed a vacant lot into the city’s first community garden, sparking an urban agriculture movement that continues four decades later. The new gazebo with integrated seating and washing station addressed practical needs identified by the gardeners themselves, providing essential infrastructure for one of SCLT’s 23 community gardens that collectively serve 890 gardeners across Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls.

The Design/Build Studio represents DownCity Design’s flagship program, where teens move beyond traditional classroom learning to tackle real-world challenges. For the Glenham project, student interns took on every aspect of the process, from initial community needs assessment through final construction, developing essential skills like collaboration, communication, creative problem solving, and persistence. The partnership reflected both organizations’ shared understanding that sustainable community development requires authentic engagement with residents and local ownership.

The gazebo project continued DownCity Design’s impressive track record of youth-led community improvements while supporting SCLT’s broader work building an equitable food system. The organization operates the South Providence Healthy Food Hub, maintains a network of farms and gardens spanning 70 acres, and runs the innovative VeggieRx program connecting healthcare providers with food-insecure patients. The Glenham garden improvements now support this ecosystem by providing better facilities for the gardeners who grow food that feeds over 25,000 Rhode Islanders annually.

At the unveiling event, student designers presented their work to community members, offering residents the opportunity to hear directly from the young people who conceived and built the project. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the David C. Isenberg Family Foundation, marked the completion of what organizers called “Providence’s latest youth-designed, youth-built service project.” The June 12 event at 27 Glenham Street offered Providence residents a chance to see this collaborative approach in action, celebrating not just a new garden amenity but the power of young people to design solutions for their communities.

SCLT builds partnerships for free farmers market series

07/07/2025 admin Aggregation, Food Justice

When families hear about an SCLT free farmers market pop-up coming to their neighborhood, they know it’s an opportunity not to be missed. These one-time events bring fresh, locally grown produce directly to communities that often lack reliable access to nutritious food.

Through Southside Community Land Trust’s produce aggregation program, families across these communities are discovering that nutritious food doesn’t have to be a luxury. Thanks to the generous support of our season partners – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, United Healthcare, Navigant Credit Union, BankRI, Garden Grille, and Wildflour – SCLT is breaking down the barriers that have long separated nutrition-insecure neighborhoods from fresh, healthy food.

The concept is elegantly simple yet powerfully effective. Our season partners cover the cost of purchasing locally grown produce directly from small-scale farmers across Rhode Island. SCLT then aggregates this fresh bounty and brings it directly to the communities that need it most through pop-up markets in the lowest income, lowest access areas of Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls.

In 2024, this collaborative effort resulted in 14 free farmers market pop-ups hosted in partnership with community-based organizations throughout these core cities. The impact was immediate and substantial: thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables, herbs, and honey reached hundreds of nutrition-insecure individuals and families who might otherwise struggle to afford or access such quality produce.

These free farmers market pop-ups represent something far more significant than traditional food distribution. They’re special community events where neighbors connect, children learn about healthy eating, and families can select fresh ingredients with dignity. Each pop-up creates a momentary transformation of the neighborhood, bringing not just food but hope and community connection to areas that often lack access to fresh produce.

This model creates a win-win scenario that strengthens Rhode Island’s entire food ecosystem. Small-scale farmers receive fair compensation for their produce, while families in underserved communities gain access to the freshest local vegetables, herbs, and honey through these special events. The economic impact ripples through the community, supporting local agriculture while addressing food insecurity.

The success of SCLT’s produce aggregation program proves that with the right partnerships and community commitment, we can create meaningful interventions in food access. When businesses, financial institutions, and community organizations come together with a shared vision, they can transform not just individual lives but entire neighborhoods, one pop-up market at a time.

As we continue to expand these free farmers market pop-ups, the partnerships with our season sponsors remain crucial. Their investment goes beyond financial support—it’s a commitment to equity, health, and community resilience. Every pound of fresh produce distributed at these special events represents a step toward a more just and sustainable food system for all Rhode Islanders.

The success of this model shows there’s room for more partners to join this transformative work. Organizations and businesses interested in becoming season sponsors can help bring fresh, locally grown produce to even more communities throughout Rhode Island. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities and how your organization can make a difference in food access, contact Kakeena Castro, Aggregation Program Manager, at kakeena@southsideclt.org.

The free farmers market pop-ups hosted by SCLT prove that access to healthy food is not just a dream but an achievable reality when communities come together with purpose and partners commit to meaningful change.

Record Crowds Gather for 33rd Annual Plant Sale

07/07/2025 admin Southside Community Land Trust

Design & illustration by Cathy G. Johnson

Southside Community Land Trust’s 33rd Annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale achieved unprecedented success this May drawing record-breaking crowds and becoming the organization’s most well-attended Plant Sale to date. With beautiful weather blessing the two-day event at City Farm, more than 1,200 people attended on Day One alone, creating an atmosphere of excitement and community spirit that we’re still celebrating.

Nearly 20,000 plants found new homes across Rhode Island during the weekend event, from rare perennials donated by local nurseries to thousands of vegetable starts that will feed families throughout the growing season. The sale featured an extensive selection of fruit, vegetable, herb, and perennial plants, with unique varieties that drew gardeners from across the state to 168 West Clifford Street in Providence.

The event’s success was powered by an extraordinary volunteer effort that included friends old and new, dedicated SCLT Board members, and corporate volunteers from Fidelity Investments and Care New England. Every staff member contributed to making the weekend run smoothly, from dawn setup crews to those who stayed until the last plant found its home. The positive energy was enhanced by talented musicians who provided the perfect soundtrack to the botanical celebration, keeping spirits high throughout both days.

As SCLT’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Plant Sale proceeds directly support the organization’s community gardens and farms, education programs, and advocacy for equal access to healthy, affordable foods. The record attendance demonstrates a growing movement of people committed to local food justice, sustainability, and community-supported agriculture in Rhode Island.

The success of the weekend was made possible through generous partnerships with local businesses. Food donors including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Blount Fine Foods, Seven Stars Bakery, BJ’s Wholesale, Krakatoa Garden LLC, and Costco provided sustenance for volunteers and staff throughout the two-day event. Local nurseries including Briggs Nursery, Blue Moon Nursery, Issimia Nursery, Blithewold, Homegrown RI, Stamp Farm, Central Nurseries, and Jacavone donated rare and unusual perennials that made the sale truly special.

The impact of the Plant Sale extends beyond the weekend itself. Remaining plants were donated to more than 20 community organizations and local producers, including libraries, community centers, gardens, and food justice organizations throughout Rhode Island. These donations ensure that the Plant Sale’s mission of promoting sustainable urban agriculture and green spaces continues to benefit communities across the state.

The electric energy and community support witnessed during the 33rd Annual Plant Sale has already generated excitement for next year’s event. Plant Sale enthusiasts can mark their calendars now for the 34th Annual Rare & Unusual Plant Sale, scheduled for May 16 & 17, 2026. With this year’s record-breaking success setting a new standard, the countdown to Plant Sale 2026 begins today!

Community scientists study urban garden biodiversity at Peace & Plenty

07/07/2025 admin Community Garden, Southside Community Land Trust, Sustainable Agriculture

Common Chickweed, edible, found at the April 12 P&P BioBlitz

Despite challenging weather conditions, the inaugural BioBlitz at Peace and Plenty Community Garden brought together a dedicated group of citizen scientists on Saturday, April 12. Seventeen enthusiastic participants braved the cold, damp, windy, and rainy conditions to document the biodiversity within this vibrant community space. The diverse group included environmentalists from the Rhode Island Wildplant Society, Audubon, 15 Minute Field Trips, and the Providence Urban Wildlife Conservation Partnership, alongside gardeners, an artist, a musician, and Wheeler School students.

The collaborative effort resulted in the identification of 72 different species of flora and fauna throughout the garden. Participants documented everything from cuspidate earth moss and false turkey tail fungi to common chickweed, furry snake millipedes, and red-bellied woodpeckers. All findings were meticulously recorded and uploaded to iNaturalist, an online platform for sharing biodiversity information that helps scientists and nature enthusiasts identify species and track wildlife observations.

This citizen science initiative serves multiple vital purposes for the community garden. BioBlitzes help gardeners better understand the wildlife that shares their space, from common weeds to soil invertebrates and visiting animals like grey squirrels. This understanding is crucial when implementing permaculture practices and sustainable gardening methods. The survey also helps identify invasive species and problem insects while informing strategies to support threatened pollinator populations, including Rhode Island’s declining bumblebee species.

The BioBlitz revealed fascinating information about common garden species that many might overlook. For instance, common chickweed—often considered just a weed—is actually edible and highly nutritious. Garden visitors interested in learning more about chickweed and other discoveries are invited to visit the garden during their regular Thursday or Saturday morning sessions, where every species found during the BioBlitz has its own unique ecological role and fascinating backstory.

The second BioBlitz took place on Saturday, July 12, with 30 community members joining the summer survey under beautiful weather conditions—a welcome contrast to April’s challenging conditions. This expanded gathering included representatives from the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, Audubon RI, Rhode Island Environmental Education Association, Providence Preservation Society, Providence Neighborhood Planting Program, and 15 Minute Field Trips, along with community scientists who served as species identifiers. The event was documented by videographer Greg Gerritt, photographers Sally Bozzuto and Catherine McCray, and freelance reporter Elizabeth Keiser, while musicians Phil Edmunds and Mike Hudson provided accompaniment and gardener Rafael Serrano painted during the survey.

The comprehensive species identification work, tabulated by Melissa Guillet of 15 Minute Field Trips, brought the total documented species count to an impressive 211 across both BioBlitzes. The extensive catalog includes everything from star rosette lichen, red amaranth, and dandelion to Chinese quince, hackberry, and tree of heaven among the plants, plus American robins, song sparrows, eastern grey squirrels, brown-bellied bumblebees, and even the invasive spotted lanternfly among the fauna. This remarkable diversity demonstrates the garden’s role as a haven for urban wildlife, native plants, and beneficial non-native species.

The final BioBlitz is scheduled for Saturday, October 11, and together these three seasonal surveys create a foundational database for this precious urban patch of green space. The project serves multiple educational goals: helping gardeners understand their pivotal role in restorative earth care, demonstrating that gardening need not be solely extractive, revealing that many “weeds” are actually gardener-friendly, and showing how supporting wild populations can enhance both garden experience and vitality. Additionally, Peace & Plenty will host “Moths, Bats and Creatures of the Night,” a nocturnal survey on Saturday, September 20, thanks to a grant from 15 Minute Field Trips.

To join the October 11 fall BioBlitz, email Doug at doug.crimewatch@gmail.com. All abilities are welcome—no prior experience necessary. The BioBlitz series has been made possible through a grant from Bloom Rhode Island, demonstrating how this important work connects community members with their local ecosystems while supporting Rhode Island’s threatened wildlife populations. As organizers note, they are “succeeding in making sure our urban wild things are considered and counted.”

SCLT in the Spotlight: Food Systems Featured in Regional News

04/10/2025 admin Aggregation, Food Justice, healthy food access, SCLT in the News, VeggieRx

Ben Torpey, Margaret DeVos, and Kakeena Castro stand in SCLT’s Farm-to-Market Center in South Providence. Credit: The Boston Globe

Recent weeks have brought significant attention to Southside Community Land Trust and the critical challenges facing our mission to ensure access to fresh, nutritious food for all Rhode Islanders. As media outlets including the Boston Globe, Providence Journal, and WPRI 12 have reported, federal funding cuts have created an unprecedented crisis for organizations like ours that connect local farmers with communities in need.

The impact of these cuts is staggering. As Margaret DeVos, our executive director, told the Boston Globe, “It’s outrageous. Never before have we not been able to get behind as a country to help the farms and the hungry.”

The reality we face is stark: federal funding freezes and contract cancellations have resulted in a devastating $600,000 reduction to our annual budget, threatening programs that served approximately 25,000 Rhode Islanders through food pantries and community meal sites last year while supporting nearly three dozen small family farm businesses.

The Boston Globe’s coverage highlighted the human dimension of this crisis. At Urban Edge Farm in Cranston, where SCLT serves as farm manager, the concerns are deeply personal. Garmai Mawolo, a Liberian immigrant from Providence who owns Looffa Farm, expressed her anxiety: “It’s too much. We don’t know what to do. I turn on the TV [news] and it makes my heart race. How will we pay our rent? How will we pay our bills?” These are the real voices behind the statistics – hardworking farmers whose livelihoods are threatened while the communities they feed face increasing food insecurity.

In response to this crisis, we’ve been heartened by the Rhode Island Foundation’s recent announcement, covered by multiple news outlets. As David N. Cicilline, Foundation president and CEO, powerfully stated, “Imagine empty shelves at local food pantries, the end of job training programs, small business assistance drying up, Head Start programs going dark, or children going hungry.” The Foundation’s commitment of $3 million to help nonprofits affected by federal funding cuts represents a crucial lifeline, though as many have noted, the magnitude of the funding gap cannot be filled by philanthropy alone.

WPRI’s Melissa Sardelli joins SCLT’s Ellen Asermely, Jair Ascencao, Margaret DeVos, and Rich Pederson, with Somerset Federal Credit Union’s Amy Derosa gather at City Farm

The recognition of our work extends beyond the current crisis. In a bright spot amid challenging news, WPRI 12 recently honored Southside Community Land Trust through their “12 Gives Back” program, delivering thanks and recognition on behalf of the TV station, their sponsor Somerset Federal Credit Union, and the community – an acknowledgment of our four decades of transforming urban spaces into productive agricultural sites and supporting food security throughout Rhode Island.

Looking forward, we remain committed to our core mission despite these unprecedented challenges. Since our founding in 1981, when South Providence residents and Hmong refugees worked with visionary Brown University graduates to create spaces to grow culturally familiar foods, we have expanded to manage over 60 community gardens and urban farms throughout Rhode Island. The current crisis reinforces rather than diminishes the urgency of our work – ensuring that all Rhode Islanders, regardless of income or background, have access to fresh, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food.

As we navigate these difficult times, we invite our community to join us in standing up for food justice and security. Whether through volunteering, donations, advocacy, or simply spreading awareness, your support is more crucial than ever as we fight to preserve programs that have become lifelines for thousands of Rhode Islanders. Together, we can ensure that the vision that has guided SCLT for over four decades continues to flourish even in the face of unprecedented challenges.

Join Us for SCLT’s Urban Agriculture Kick-Off on April 12

04/03/2025 admin 404 Broad, urban agriculture, Urban Agriculture Kick-off

Spring is in the air, and Southside Community Land Trust invites you to welcome the growing season at our annual Urban Agriculture Kick-Off event on Saturday, April 12, from 11am to 1pm. This beloved community tradition, affectionately known as “UAKO” by longtime supporters, marks the official start of the urban growing season in Providence and brings together gardeners, farmers, and food justice advocates from across Rhode Island.

This year’s event will take place simultaneously at two locations, offering a variety of workshops to meet the needs of different gardeners. At our 404 Broad Street headquarters, the schedule features two powerful workshops designed to deepen participants’ understanding of sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty. At 11am, our Black Food Liberation Workshop will explore how communities are reclaiming food systems through an equity lens. This workshop builds on our successful Food Justice 101 series and examines how historical challenges including colonialism, land dispossession, and corporate agricultural control have marginalized Indigenous and Black communities. Participants will learn about empowering models such as community-led farming cooperatives and Afroecological practices that affirm local knowledge, prioritize ecological balance, and reclaim power over food production and distribution.

Register for Workshops Here

At noon at 404 Broad Street, our Spring Garden Readiness Workshop offers practical knowledge to help you prepare your growing space for a successful season. Whether you’re tending a community garden plot, a backyard garden, or container plants on a balcony, you’ll gain valuable insights into soil preparation, early season planting techniques, and sustainable growing practices that maximize yields while nurturing the environment.

For those who prefer to gather at the Fox Point Community Garden location (256 Power Street), we’ll host an Ask the Experts table at 11am where experienced growers will answer your gardening questions, followed by a Dividing Perennials Workshop at noon that will demonstrate how to multiply your garden’s bounty through proper division techniques.

Throughout the event, our seed giveaway station will offer free, high-quality seeds to all attendees, with a focus on culturally significant and locally adapted varieties. This initiative supports our commitment to seed sovereignty and biodiversity in our local food system, ensuring that everyone has access to the resources needed to grow their own food.

The Urban Agriculture Kick-Off marks the beginning of compost pick-up season for SCLT members, who receive 50 gallons of free organic compost – a $110 value – that helps gardeners and farmers build healthy soil for the growing season. Attendees can sign up for or renew their annual SCLT membership at the event, with membership fees directly supporting our work to create equitable food systems throughout Rhode Island. This is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket) event, with the compost pickup available at both sites. Volunteers will be on hand to help with loading.

Whether you’re a seasoned grower, a beginner looking to start your first garden, or someone passionate about food justice and sustainability, the Urban Agriculture Kick-Off offers a welcoming space to connect with like-minded community members and gain the knowledge and resources needed for a successful growing season. Join us rain or shine on April 12 as we celebrate the transformative power of urban agriculture and community resilience.

SCLT Achieves Remarkable Success in 2025 401Gives Campaign

04/03/2025 admin Southside Community Land Trust

Southside Community Land Trust is grateful to our community for showing up in a major way during this year’s 401Gives campaign, helping us finish as the 13th top fundraiser among 644 participating nonprofit organizations statewide. Through the incredible generosity of 150 donors and a matching fund, we raised an impressive $56,000 to support our mission of fostering equitable access to land and markets, providing education, and creating opportunities for Rhode Islanders to grow food in environmentally sustainable ways while building food systems that offer culturally familiar, locally produced, affordable, and healthy food.

This remarkable achievement comes at a critical time for SCLT as we continue expanding our impact across Rhode Island’s food system. Your donations directly bolster vital connections between our youth programs and farmer support initiatives to build a stronger, more sustainable food system for all Rhode Islanders.

The success of our 401Gives campaign enables us to maintain our youth development pathway, offering meaningful opportunities at every stage. From young children exploring gardening through our summer learning program with Violet’s Village, to high school students gaining workforce experience, to young adult interns building specialized skills, and farm apprentices receiving intensive hands-on training through our paid full-time, part-time, and federally registered programs – your support makes these transformative opportunities possible.

Simultaneously, your generosity helps sustain our network of 28 small-scale farmers who grow culturally familiar, nutritious food for our communities. These farmers depend on SCLT to access land, training, and markets. With recent cuts to USDA funding, your support is crucial to maintain our crop purchasing program that sustains farmers’ livelihoods and provides fresh food to nutrition-insecure Rhode Islanders. The funds raised during 401Gives will help us maintain momentum despite the challenges posed by frozen or canceled federal contracts.

Rhode Island’s response to this year’s 401Gives campaign was truly historic, with more than 19,300 individual donors collectively raising $4.9 million for nonprofits throughout the state. We’re proud to be part of this extraordinary demonstration of Rhode Island’s commitment to supporting organizations that deliver vital services to our communities.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our 401Gives campaign!

Breaking Ground on Food System Resilience: SCLT’s Cranston Food Hub Takes Shape

Wellness at RI’s largest African Market

Growing Forward: Major Garden Improvements Transform SCLT’s Community Spaces

Youth Designers Unveil Community Garden Enhancement in Providence Partnership

SCLT builds partnerships for free farmers market series

Record Crowds Gather for 33rd Annual Plant Sale

Community scientists study urban garden biodiversity at Peace & Plenty

SCLT in the Spotlight: Food Systems Featured in Regional News

Join Us for SCLT’s Urban Agriculture Kick-Off on April 12

Register for Workshops Here

SCLT Achieves Remarkable Success in 2025 401Gives Campaign

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SCLT Achieves Remarkable Success in 2025 401Gives Campaign