HANCOCK -- Portage Health Foundation (PHF) is proud to announce $37,400 has been awarded for nine projects who responded to the foundation’s Community Gardens request for proposals that was released in January.
"Overall, we are very pleased with this group of grantees," said Dr. Michelle Seguin, Director of Community Health at PHF. "The projects funded will serve a wide cross-section of the community in a variety of different settings including traditional community gardens, schools, and residential housing complexes. It’s especially exciting to see the collaborations involved including school-community-based partnerships and opportunities for intergenerational learning. When we learn, grow and eat together, we all win."
The nine project awardees:
Chassell Township Schools - Chassell School Garden -- $5,000. Chassell Public Schools is creating a shared greenspace, including a community garden. This new school garden fits into the district’s goal of creating a nature trail through a partnership with the Lake Superior Stewardship Initiative.
City of Hancock - Herb and "Three Sisters" Garden -- $1,900. In an effort to continue the beautification of Hancock and provide an opportunity for food education and security, Portage Health Foundation, with the assistance of a private donor, has funded garden projects at Porvoo Park, site of the new Hancock Outdoor Farmers Market, on the waterfront in the City of Hancock. The new raised garden bed and the previous overgrown circular bed are now full of edible herbs for public use.
Dollar Bay-Tamarack City Schools - DB-TC Tower Gardening Project -- $2,500. The school district will be measuring lettuce consumption rates before, during and after learning about the hydro garden, which will use a tower gardening system -- known to grow more in less time with few resources.
Finlandia University - Ryan Street Community Garden -- $5,000. One of the longest-running community gardens in Michigan’s Copper Country, the Ryan Street Community Garden was founded in 2010 on the Finlandia University campus. Since then it has provided a rich and fruitful experience for a stable membership group that has now created more demand than capacity. With the $5,000 grant, the all-volunteer organization will install two new raised beds, install and plant a new perennial garden, offer workshops, add a picnic table and benches, and host field trips.
Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District - School Community Garden -- $5,000. In an effort to increase the consumption of healthy produce for students and community members, increase opportunities for health education, and create a space to foster social connection among community members Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District in partnership with Ontonagon Area Schools is going to create a community garden on the school district's campus.
Hancock Public Schools - Barkell Elementary School Garden -- $5,000. A 20’ x 30’ school garden will be created behind Barkell Elementary School in Hancock -- in close proximity to the location of their previous garden, which was ruined in 2019 because of a roof collapse. The new garden will support six beds, including an elevated raised bed that will be used by three Copper Country ISD special education classes.
Ontonagon Village Housing Commission - Pedestal and Raised Bed Gardens -- $3,000. This grant allowed the construction of raised bed gardens that are accessible to individuals with mobility issues and help create a community environment within Ontonagon Village Housing, a 60-unit residential housing complex. The grant funded materials to construct the gardens, including wood, dirt, fencing and mulch.
Osceola Township - Dollar Bay Community Garden -- $5,000. A community garden in Dollar Bay (Osceola Township) will provide local residents access to fresh, seasonal vegetables as well as serve as an educational resource for the community. The new garden will be located within walking distance of the school, creating the potential to host on-site learning tied to grade-level curriculum. See the Dollar Bay Community Garden on Facebook.
Village of South Range - South Range Community Garden -- $5,000. The creation of a community garden in the Village of South Range should provide a space for many programs to be successful, help the village promote more community involvement and spark a strong sense of community pride. The Adams Township School District hopes to involve students in the trades and culinary programs at Jeffers High School and younger students at South Range Elementary School to use this space as a tool for learning about plants and ecosystems.
Follow Portage Health Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on each project throughout the summer, and visit phfgive.org for more information on these grants and on the health-focused foundation.
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