Check out the Newfield News for an excellent article about our project.

Growing Hope Together received a grant from the Helen Thomas Howland Foundation as administered by the Community Foundation of Tompkins County to pay for supplies and help to finance more summer programs at the Emery Memorial Kids Garden in Newfield.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who showed up this morning to help the 3rd graders plant the garden. It was a beautiful sunny day, and everyone pitched in and had fun. While half the class was in the garden, the other half was in the classroom, watching a slideshow about all the different animals in Kenya, (including photos of gorillas in Rwanda.)

See photos of Planting Day

The garden was planted, the crops came out quite well and weeding has already taken place. Mr Randiga has already started working on the fence. He has also got banana suckers ready for planting . The farm is very beautiful. -Betty

We returned to the US on Monday, March 29, with many new baskets. The new designs are on display at Stella’s Barn, along with Growing Hope tshirts. Show your support by purchasing a basket or a tshirt.

View 2010 Simenya Photos

Laura and Linda have arrived safely in Simenya, after 20 hours of travel to get to Nairobi, then another day of travel by plane and matatu to reach Simenya. We visited the garden last night and it looks ready for planting. There has been quite a lot of rain here lately so that is good. We will be visiting with the children at the school on Monday and then meeting with the teachers on Tuesday.

Check out our first newsletter – Growing Hope Together – March 2010

12/6/09 – Growing Hope Together received a “Signs of Sustainability” Award from Sustainable Tompkins, recognizing us as a New Sustainability-Related Organization. See the Ithaca Journal article

8/12/09 – We will be showing and selling baskets and other items at the Newfield Old Home Days Stop by and see the garden on Saturday, 9/12, next to the “Old Schoolhouse”.

8/5/09 – ITHACA JOURNAL – Growing Hope Together & Newfield 3rd Grade Donate Fresh Produce

8/3/09 – Laura returned to Ithaca from her 3 month visit to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, happy to report that everything is on track for a productive garden in the upcoming school year.

12/10/08 – We have been awarded a $1500 United Way of Tompkins County Community Youth and Philanthropy Grant. This grant will be used to support the gardening project at Newfield Elementary school. Thanks United Way!

12/02/08 – We have more baskets! Stop by Stella’s Barn to check out some of our stock and call us if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for.

11/29/08 – Simenya Primary School now has a small computer lab with an internet connection.

Tompkins Weekly Article 11/17/08
Newfield News Article 11/16/08