Grow Portland

Mission

Grow Portland supports schools and communities by facilitating hands-on garden experiences that foster connections to food, nature and each other.

Bottom Line for Portland

We believe that access & connection to the natural world should be a right, not a privilege. We help steward gardens and outdoor spaces while providing environmental education, centered on people of color, people who live at or below the poverty line, and those with disabilities. This year, Grow Portland is partnered with 14 public schools, serving over 6,000 students, with monthly hands-on lessons in their school garden. Additionally, we work with seniors in low-income housing to build vibrant, growing & accessible natural spaces and tend them together. Through consistent, rich, hands-on programming and careful stewardship of green spaces, we cultivate resiliency and interdependence with our community.

Quote

“I love Nature and this is the only time I get to interact with it. Garden School is actually how I got brave enough to sit in the grass.” 

- 4th grader

"Much appreciation and gratitude for this incredible opportunity for our students to learn about plants in their own school space. Such a rich learning experience of all grades. Thank you!" 

- 5th grade teacher

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We celebrate the visible and invisible qualities that make each person unique and actively combat harm that targets groups of people including and not limited to racism, anti-Blackness, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, ageism, classism, anti-Semitism, and fatphobia. We work to dismantle systems of oppression embedded in white supremacy culture in every aspect of our work. We prioritize students who have been excluded from nature and outdoor education, including Black and Brown students, low-income students, and those with disabilities. Garden Educators are compassionate and sensitive to the needs of individual students and aware of how identities intersect and interact. In our land practices and teaching, we aim to work in solidarity and consult with Indigenous communities towards rematriation, recognizing the importance of the maternal relationship to the land.   Our goal is to prioritize ecological health, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable resource use, aligning with traditional ecological knowledge and practices.

Incentives

• - Everyone who donates over $25 will receive a coupon for 15% off your purchase from Left Field Garden Supply
• - The first 3 people to donate over $500 receive a $100 gift card to Andina Peruvian Restaurant
• - The first 4 people to donate over $100 on Nov 15th receive Sampler packs from Pan's Mushroom Jerky, valued at $24 (donors must be in Portland Metro for delivery or pickup).
• - The first 4 donors over $100 on Dec 6th will receive a month-long membership (value $145) to The People's Yoga
• - The first 8 donors over $100 on Dec 20th will receive a $25 gift card to Portland Nursery

Partner(s)

Left Field Garden Supply: Neighborhood shop in SE Portland for gardening enthusiasts stocking seeds, tools, books, organic fertilizer, and animal supplies.

Pan's Mushroom Jerky: While Pan's Mushroom Jerky doesn't contain any meat, the flavor and texture of our jerky will leave you feeling satisfied!

Andina Restaurant: a taste of Peru in the pacific northwest

The People's Yoga is a community that works together to ensure that the benefits of the yoga practice are accessible to every person regardless of financial ability.

• Portland Nursery has everything you'll need to make your garden and home your favorite destination.