Dear Community,
We’ve just started work again after our summer heat break! I hope everyone was able to stay somewhat cool over the summer. We’re excited to start planning our fall gardens and the changes we’ll be implementing for next spring season.
Unfortunately we were not able to find any more vets in the neighborhood that were interested in receiving our boxes, many simply don’t have the space to install any of the items (save for a few potted plants on porches which we give for free anyway). That being said, those fortunate to have space available have very much enjoyed watching their spaces grow around them. And 2 have developed quite the gardening habit, so we know the mission is working. Just not at the speed at which we hoped. Our plan is pivot and start offering a modified box with whatever the vet feels they need making the kits more accessible with things like small tools, starts, worm castings, etc. As well as reaching out to those outside the neighborhoods. It seems like this will be a little more popular. Luckily we will have a booth at black pot festival this year where we will have a B6 display with free plants and items we’ll be able to give away to veterans on the spot! With the changes to the equipment and contents of the box, we feel that we can have the rest of the kits distributed by the end of the fall season!
Another development I would like to highlight this year, is absolutely thanks to the spotlight that 24 hr gave us. We applied in the spring to have an adjudicated lot in Freetown or the northside donated for us to house our teaching gardens and urban habitats on. Unfortunately this was pushed now to January. But this will be a way for us to have an established location in the community that we can grow the B6 project from. Without the initial support and visibility we gained from the 24hr citizen project, we wouldn’t have been able to grow enough this year to even dream of being able to take over a lot! Thank you all.