Hello Spring, Neighbors!

We’ve been wanting to send out an update for a while, but have struggled to make time amongst all the springyness. Here is a quick & dirty composty list of recent highlights and upcoming awesomeness:

  • We were recently awarded 2 grants from the Presbyterian Mission Agency and United Way Spokane!
  • Watch our presentation (about 8 min. starting at 1:42:32) to the City Council about the new bicycle-powered food delivery and community composting program.
  • Little Free Pantries continue to spread. Check out this recent news article, get in touch if you’d like to help, & check out this map.
  • Gigs4Good would like to help you support us by hiring them to do home improvement projects.
  • Grab a free yard of compost to grow food to share. We got 2 loads of 50 yards delivered to: The Abbey at 1832 W. Dean & New Vision at 3307 W Rowan. A third is planned for The North YMCA within a week!
  • We’re making GN t-shirts with used shirts. Would you like to bring one to be printed for yourself or donate one for someone else?
  • Planting parties each Tu and Th from 3:30-5:30 at our Hub Farmyard at 5508 N. Alberta. Have your own garden? Let us help you plan a weekly planting party!
  • Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop this Tu, 4/6 at 3:30!
  • Seeds, starts, soil, oh my! We have what you need to get a new garden going!
  • School gardens are growing! Some existing projects you can dive in on include Garfield, Salk, Ridgeview, SIA, and more.
  • The Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market starts Fridays in June! Want to volunteer?
  • Weekly, free Outdoor Community Dinners start 4/13 at 5:30. Enjoy a meal, take it to-go, or gather neighbors for a meal in your hood.
  • Easter Egg Hunt (socially distant style) this weekend! Decorate, hunt, or both! Check out the attachment, our map, and the bearded bunny video 🙂
  • Looking for an Easter Sunday worship service? You are welcome to join Shadle Church in person or online at 11 a.m.
  • Master Gardener Plant Sale online ordering starts 4/24. Great plants, great cause!
  • Find these great events, training ops, & more on our calendar.

Thanks for your wonderful support and partnership. As always, we’d love your help growing and sharing healthy food and relationships by donating here. Also, ask us how to adopt a row, physically or financially!

Peace,

Johnny and your Growing Neighbors Family 🙂

KREM 2 and the Little Free Pantries

The Caritas Food Bank in Northwest Spokane has a main location, but people on its board realized not everyone could make it to that area. “For some of my neighbors, I know that getting to the food bank is difficult. They come on a bus or they walk long distances to get there,” said Bev Hopoi, a volunteer at the food bank.In response, the program created mini food banks near street corners for people passing through the area. They’re called Little Free Pantries. KREM 2 News Broadcast about the Little Free Pantries.

Little Free Pantries are located throughout Spokane. Click here to view the map of locations.

It’s Seed Planting Time!

We’re getting excited to start growing food again! It’s time to get some seeds started indoors. Want some seeds? Want to help us plant at our Hub Farmyard or the Valley YMCA Greenhouse? Send us a quick message if you can help plant at 5508 N. Alberta St. on Wed. at noon or Th. between 3-5. We are also happy to set you up with the supplies you need to plant at home!

Know someone who needs help with food now? We have frozen meals and some produce and non-perishables for take-out or delivery throughout the week. Just call 327-5522 or stop by the office and/or Little Free Pantry at 5508 N. Alberta St.

Johnny, Growing Neighbors Director

Little Free Pantries w/ Youth Build

We are so glad to be partnering with the YouthBuild program to build Little Free Pantries. Steve (left) and his crew, including Ricky (right), have completed 6 and are preparing to build 6 more. We hope to install some this week, but they aren’t all spoken for. Do you know of a good host site that has high visibility and traffic and isn’t too close to an existing LFP? We love the 24/7, low-barrier food access these pantries provide as well as a way for neighbors to connect and care for one another. We especially love when they are installed by an edible garden to help provide food that is as local and healthy as possible, year-round.

Are You a Neighborhood Connector?

Are you planting a garden this spring? Plan a time for a Planting Party with your neighbors! Whether or not you are or would like to connect with neighbors through community gardening, there are many great ways to help neighbors connect. Are you already doing this? We’d love to hear your stories! Would you like to learn more about how to help your neighbors connect? Let’s talk! If you want to get started, here are a few good questions to ask your neighbors. Keep note of your conversations and look for ways to connect neighbors with similar interests!

  • What do you love about our neighborhood (nh)?
  • What do you think would make our nh better?
  • What are your gifts or things you love to do? Would you enjoy doing that with others in our nh?
  • What skills and passions do you have? Would you be willing to share these with a kid in our nh?
  • What tools and resources do you have that you’d be willing to share with others in our nh?
  • What associations, groups, or clubs are you part of that are connected with our local community?
  • Share about some of your story, gifts, skills, & passions. Conversations can be door to door interviews or organic

New Bicycle Delivery Opportunity!

We are excited to be working with several community partners on a plan to sustainably deliver food to neighbors in need via bicycle! We hope to include fresh produce (maybe even from your garden) and other essentials, as well as an opportunity for neighbors to share compostables that we bike back to community composting hubs. We’re working on locating eager bikers and/or purchasing some e-bikes and trailers to get started this spring. Does any of this get you excited? Want to talk about volunteering, donate money or supplies to help us get moving, or pass this opportunity along to others you think would be interested? We’re glad to be innovatively caring for neighbors and nature with you!

gigs4good

Gigs4good is a not for profit charity operating in Spokane. They provide volunteer assistance with professional, technical, handyman/household projects, and more. In return, “sponsors” donate to gigs4good, and any funds are then transferred in the full amount to a Spokane-based charitable organization.

Simply put, gigs4good is fundraising with service and Growing Neighbors is now one ministry they are willing to donate to! If you need some work done, please consider contacting gigs4good at (509) 290-8705 or contact@gigs4good.org so you can get your work done while helping our neighbors grow healthy food and relationships!

New Food Delivery Program

Thank you for all the ways you’ve helped to feed and care for your neighbors this year! We are excited to share about a great new food delivery service in Spokane that grew out of the Spokane County Food Security Coalition of which Growing Neighbors is a part. This pilot program will last through December for sure, and hopefully will continue into 2021. Go to sms1.org/food-deliveries to learn more or sign up to receive food. Also, additional drivers are needed for these contactless deliveries. Call 990-3010 to sign up to help!

We also still have frozen meals and some produce and non-perishables for take-out or delivery throughout the week. Just call 327-5522 or stop by the office and/or Little Free Pantry at 5508 N. Alberta St.

Johnny, Growing Neighbors Director

Little Free Pantries are Spreading!

We recently installed 6 Little Free Pantries in partnership with Caritas and NW Harvest! We have 1 more built and ready to go, and 6 more in process. We love the 24/7, low-barrier food access these pantries provide. We especially love when they are installed by an edible garden to help provide food that is as local and healthy as possible, year-round. Jonathan and his family installed an LFP on their property (including a candy cane dispenser), they are helping to stock others, and they are planning to add a garden nearby this spring! Find food or help stock a pantry at:

  • Shadle Park Presbyterian Church
  • 2506 W. Rowan Ave.
  • Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
  • Emmaus Church
  • Salem Lutheran Church
  • St. Francis of Assisi Church
  • St. Andrews Episcopal Church
  • Fowler United Methodist
  • Northside Church of Christ
  • Neurotherapy Northwest
  • 4017 W. Queen Ave.
  • 6718 N. Wall St.
  • 2603 W. Broad
  • 3005 W. Rowan Ave.
  • W. 2330 Sharp Ave.
  • 1428 W. Broadway Ave.

Do you know of others? Please let us know! Can you help fund, build, paint, install, host, stock, or locate a good site for an LFP? Let’s keep reducing transportation barriers to nutritious food!