Dear Friends of GTC,
This was not the year any of us imagined as 2019 turned into 2020. We began our 18th year knowing we would face many challenges. As one of a handful of black led youth farming organizations in New England, we know how important our work and voice is and we started the year ready to move forward.
Then in March the pandemic created challenges for all of us on a level we could not have imagined. We were forced to stop and answer the most basic questions:
Will people feel safe enough to come into the store?
How will we keep staff and youth safe?
Will we be able to farm at all?
For many people of color, the working poor, and many others the scarcity found during this past spring was already a weekly or daily occurrence. With our neighbors facing empty food shelves, we knew we could not shut down or turn away. So, we did what we always do, we turned to each other, we adapted, and our staff and youth got back to our work.
During this time all of us have that same choice: Turn away, or turn to the people around you.
You, like us at Gardening the Community, believe in turning to people. You believe in standing on the side of equity, and so you turn to those who can offer you the insight and strategies to understand what it takes to dismantle racism/white supremacy and replace it with a system of justice.
You turn to us, as again we turn to you, to continue this intimate story we are weaving together, of how during a time of unfathomable economic inequality, inspired young people and dedicated adults are committed to transformative food work for an entire city. While it has become more difficult to operate during the pandemic we know that GTC's work has also become even more critical to the survival of members of our community and we need your support. Please consider an investment in our transformative work through an end of year contribution.
In service,
Ibrahim Ali
Director of Farms and Youth Programming
PS. Your end of year gift will support youth from Mason Square and residents’ growing leadership and access to fresh organically grown produce year round.
This was not the year any of us imagined as 2019 turned into 2020. We began our 18th year knowing we would face many challenges. As one of a handful of black led youth farming organizations in New England, we know how important our work and voice is and we started the year ready to move forward.
Then in March the pandemic created challenges for all of us on a level we could not have imagined. We were forced to stop and answer the most basic questions:
Will people feel safe enough to come into the store?
How will we keep staff and youth safe?
Will we be able to farm at all?
For many people of color, the working poor, and many others the scarcity found during this past spring was already a weekly or daily occurrence. With our neighbors facing empty food shelves, we knew we could not shut down or turn away. So, we did what we always do, we turned to each other, we adapted, and our staff and youth got back to our work.
During this time all of us have that same choice: Turn away, or turn to the people around you.
You, like us at Gardening the Community, believe in turning to people. You believe in standing on the side of equity, and so you turn to those who can offer you the insight and strategies to understand what it takes to dismantle racism/white supremacy and replace it with a system of justice.
You turn to us, as again we turn to you, to continue this intimate story we are weaving together, of how during a time of unfathomable economic inequality, inspired young people and dedicated adults are committed to transformative food work for an entire city. While it has become more difficult to operate during the pandemic we know that GTC's work has also become even more critical to the survival of members of our community and we need your support. Please consider an investment in our transformative work through an end of year contribution.
In service,
Ibrahim Ali
Director of Farms and Youth Programming
PS. Your end of year gift will support youth from Mason Square and residents’ growing leadership and access to fresh organically grown produce year round.
