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Community Garden

2024: Our Year in Review

SCLT staff and Board of Directors members gather at SCLT’s Youth Enterprise Farm in South Providence for a photo in December, 2024

 

Southside Community Land Trust marked 2024 as a year of significant expansion and deepening impact across Rhode Island’s food system. The organization’s Produce Aggregation and VeggieRx programs delivered more than 44,000 pounds of locally grown produce to 9,750 people, with 97% of recipients being low-income residents. Through its network of 40 small-scale farm operations, SCLT facilitated the distribution of fresh, culturally relevant produce to markets, restaurants, and institutions throughout the state.

The organization’s comprehensive annual program review highlighted substantial achievements in youth engagement and workforce development, with 50 young people receiving employment and education in sustainable agriculture. Community gardens continued to thrive, supporting more than 1,600 gardeners across 23 locations. The year also saw the successful expansion of partnerships with healthcare providers, schools, and social service organizations, enabling SCLT to reach more than 25,000 Rhode Islanders through various programs.

“We can take great pride in the accomplishments of the past few years, but we also carry a deep concern for the future of our work,” said Margaret DeVos, Executive Director of SCLT. “The wells of pandemic crisis response resources – major drivers of much of our recent growth – are drying up. We find ourselves at a critical juncture that demands immediate attention and support.”

Supporting these initiatives, SCLT secured several significant grants in 2024, including funding from the Governor’s Workforce Board’s Real Skills for Youth program, the Rhode Island Foundation, and the Papitto Opportunity Connection, among others. These investments strengthened core programs in youth development, produce aggregation, farmer training, and community garden support. The organization also received crucial general operating support from foundations including the Island Foundation, enabling flexible response to community needs.

Looking ahead to 2025, SCLT’s program review process identified opportunities for growth while acknowledging the challenges posed by expiring pandemic-era funding programs. The organization remains focused on sustaining its momentum through new funding opportunities, including potential support through Senator Reed’s proposed EAT Local Foods Act, while maintaining its commitment to building a more equitable and sustainable local food system for Rhode Island.

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Volunteers honored at Peace & Plenty Garden

Volunteers join Senator Ana Quezada (center, in black) and garden leader Doug Victor (center, in green) at Peace & Plenty Garden to receive certificates of appreciation

 

Despite a bit of snow, dedicated volunteers gathered at Southside Community Land Trust’s Peace & Plenty Community Garden on December 5, 2024 to receive certificates of appreciation. Jointly presented by garden leader Doug Victor and RI Senator Ana Quezada, the ceremony recognized the year-round commitment of volunteers from The Wheeler School, West Bay Community Action, and local residents who maintain this vital community space in Providence’s Elmwood neighborhood.

Peace & Plenty, one of SCLT’s oldest community gardens, has served as a cornerstone of public engagement for nearly four decades. The garden has evolved into a dynamic shared space where gardeners with family plots mix with market growers, social service agencies, and neighbors to collaborate on environmental and cultural restoration and protection initiatives. Peace & Plenty welcomes the scientific community, studying populations and migrations of the wildlife that visits the oasis. Students learn about the impacts of paved heat islands on surrounding biodiversity.

At this hub of community, volunteers help with weeding, provide regular attention to the living compost piles, repair tools, assist in harvests, and more. Volunteers also work to maintain the adjacent Peace & Plenty Park and contribute to broader neighborhood care, including street tree maintenance and storm drain management.

Volunteers currently gather Thursday mornings and most Saturdays throughout the year, weather permitting, to maintain the garden. Those interested in joining the volunteer team can contact garden leader Doug. If you’d like to learn about other volunteer opportunities within SCLT’s community garden network, please contact Andrew Cook, Community Gardens Network Director.

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SCLT Featured in Rhode Island Spotlight

 

This January, Rhode Island PBS will air a 10-minute video documentary on Southside Community Land Trust’s four-decade journey of transforming urban spaces into productive agricultural sites across Providence and supporting statewide food access efforts. The documentary, produced by Jim Hummel of Rhode Island Spotlight, chronicles SCLT’s expansion from its 1981 beginnings with two community gardens to its current network of 60 farms and gardens serving over 1,600 community gardeners and their families annually.

Featured in a writeup in The Providence Journal as well as upcoming PBS broadcasts, the piece explores SCLT’s comprehensive approach to food security through innovative programs like VeggieRx: healthcare partnerships providing veggie prescriptions for food insecure patients. The documentary includes interviews with longtime SCLT staff member Rich Pederson, who discusses City Farm’s role as a demonstration site growing 80 varieties of vegetables, and Charlotte Uwimphuhwe, who operates a successful farming enterprise at Urban Edge Farm in Cranston.

The Rhode Island Spotlight documentary will premiere on Rhode Island PBS on January 11th at 9:47 PM, with additional airings throughout the following week. For more information about SCLT’s work and impact, viewers can read the complete feature article in The Providence Journal or visit RhodeIslandSpotlight.org.

Catch the video on RIPBS:

  • Sat 01/11/2025 at 9:47 PM
  • Sun 01/12/2025 at 2:52 AM
  • Mon 01/13/2025 at 3:16 AM
  • Mon 01/13/2025 at 3:43 PM
  • Tue 01/14/2025 at 4:51 PM
  • Tue 01/14/2025 at 10:46 PM
  • Wed 01/15/2025 at 03:52 AM
  • Thu 01/16/2025 at 4:16 PM
  • Fri 01/17/2025 at 4:46 PM
  • Fri 01/17/2025 at 12:44 PM
  • Fri 01/17/2025 at 10:46 PM
  • Sat 01/18/2025 at 7:44 PM
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SCLT Announces Exciting 2024 Workshop Series

All workshops are free | Registration is required | All materials provided to registered attendees Click the links below, or check out our Upcoming Events page for more information on each workshop.

 

Southside Community Land Trust is gearing up for an enriching summer and fall with the announcement of our 2024 workshop series. The series, featuring seven diverse workshops, kicks off Saturday, June 22, and runs through November 15. These free events offer a unique blend of gardening, art, and food justice education, catering to both families and adults.

The series begins with a Container Gardening Workshop on June 22, perfect for urban dwellers and those with limited space. Participants will create their own container gardens to take home, learning essential skills from SCLT’s Director of Special Projects and Master Gardener, Tarshire Battle. As summer progresses, attendees can look forward to EcoArt workshops, including Cyanoprinting at City Farm on July 25 and Landscape with Tape at Good Earth Farm on August 23.

For those interested in food preservation, an Introduction to Canning workshop is scheduled for August 14. This hands-on session will guide participants through the process of making and canning tomato sauce. The workshop will be co-hosted by Tarshire Battle and Andraly Horn, an organic farmer at Open fArms Retreat.

As autumn approaches, SCLT continues to offer creative opportunities with Mixed Media and Papermaking workshops in September and October, respectively. The series concludes with a thought-provoking Food Justice Workshop on November 15, exploring the historical context and contemporary issues surrounding food justice in Rhode Island.

These events not only offer practical skills and creative outlets but also promote environmental sustainability and community engagement. Whether you’re a gardening enthusiast, an aspiring artist, or someone passionate about food justice, SCLT’s 2024 workshop series promises something for everyone.

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Local artist combines stories and recipes in Things We Share

Jazzmen Lee-Johnson had been interested in food growing, food as self-care and cooking long before she created the graphic novel cookbook, Things We Share.

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Growing food helps SCLT’s new garden associate hold onto her roots

Like many refugees who arrive in Providence, Bishnu Poudel was eager to obtain a plot in one of SCLT’s community gardens. Soon, she began growing the vegetables she and her family were used to eating in Nepal, and before that, Bhutan, as well as socializing and networking with refugees from three continents. 

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Pandemic focuses public’s attention on diet-related health disparities

SCLT staff adapt programs to expand food access, ensure farmer safety in wake of COVID-19

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Yes, it’s happening!

Right now, City Farm staff are in the greenhouse seeding thousands of your favorite vegetable, herb and fruit starts to be ready for the 2020 Plant Sale. 

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We’re collecting soil samples for testing – send us yours

The lab SCLT sends soil samples to has reopened, so staff are able to collect samples again. The first batch will be sent May 8.

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