Reap the Benefits of School and Community Gardens!

Thanks to our sponsor Flower Power for this great article.

What if there was a way you could teach your kids how to grow their own food? And what if it was possible to eat healthily for a year off of less than an acre of land? What if you could do it while providing more than three tons of food per year? And what if you could do it while fundraising for community and school programs? Community gardens and our sponsor Flower Power Fundraising make it all possible!

Although school and community gardens seem like a relatively new concept in our increasingly urban world, the fact is, they’ve been around for hundreds of years and there are more than 18,000 in the U.S.! In addition to the obvious benefits of growing food in places that can be food deserts, community gardens also provide exercise, time in the fresh air (away from screens), and opportunities for learning collaborative skills and building strong relationships. They teach kids patience and delayed gratification in a fast-paced, on-demand world. Urban gardeners learn organic gardening skills and kids who are involved in community gardens learn to eat healthily, because, as the saying goes, “if children plant tomatoes, they eat tomatoes.”

There are other benefits, too. Community gardens spruce up the place! Whole neighborhoods have been transformed through one community garden --curbing vandalism and graffiti and encouraging neighbors to take more pride in their own properties. Plus, gardening brings generations together as elders in the community get to share their knowledge and expertise. Green spaces have proven to reduce stress and air pollution. And in most cases, it is cheaper to maintain a community garden with a volunteer staff or students than it is to maintain a park.

Sold on the benefits of community gardening? The next step is to identify your plot of land and get permission. Then, Flower Power Fundraising can help you raise money and supplies through an eco-friendly online fundraising campaign.

You’ll keep 50% of every sale you make with Flower Power Fundraising! Community Garden supporters have an easy mechanism for donating to the garden by ordering seeds and bulbs and then donating them directly. There’s no minimum order and the company ships directly to the buyers right when the plants and bulbs are seasonally ready to be planted –taking the guesswork out of the equation. Offering only the finest, best-quality bulbs and plants available from growers in Holland and the U.S, the company sports an unconditional, 100% money-back guarantee. It’s a healthy and green alternative to traditional product fundraising programs.

Then create a SignUp at SignUp.com to schedule your volunteers for planting, watering and tending the garden. SignUp.com proudly helps tens of thousands of community gardeners in neighborhoods and schools across North America. Participants can access the SignUp from their smart phones or computers 24/7 and with eCalendar syncing and automated reminders, your garden will soon be in full bloom!

Gardening is a beautiful activity. What could be more fun than being outside, digging in the soil and planting bulbs? It is one of life's most enjoyable experiences. With the added benefit of building community, it's also a great way to introduce planting to kids, and to ‘grow’ special family/neighborhood memories! Fundraising with flowers allows people to create those priceless moments every season with their kids or grandkids, at home or at a community garden.

Looking for more great fundraising ideas, check out our 4 Essentials for Successful Product Fundraisers.