Kitchen Garden Project Inc Garden Raised Bounty

“The form 990 is reviewed by the board members and key staff members together before the return is filed.”

“Staff and board members are required to sign the "conflict of interest policy" which is part of the organization's policy and procedures.”

“Compensation of the executive director is determined by the board of directors and is withing the range of other groups.”

“Documents are made available upon request.”

“Garden-raised bounty (grub) inspires positive and community change by bringing people together around food and agriculture. We partner with youth and people with low incomes to create empowering individual and community food solutions. We offer tools and trainings to help build a just and sustainable food system.”

“2012/2013 school year and the first semester of the 2013/2014 school year. The 2012/2013 academic year concluded the second year of a successful two- year pilot with the olympia school district's olympia high school in which a cohort of high school students attended half of their school day at grub, earning credits crucial to obtaining their diplomas. Olympia high school embraced our youth development model. Summer 2013, they began their own grub-like program, creating a farm on school district property and offering both summer and academic year programs. The 2013/2014 academic year began with grub continuing its school program in partnership with olympia and north thurston school district's career and technical education departments. We applied our learning from the successful pilot program to work with students from capital and north thurston high schools. Our 2013 summer employment training program engaged 21 youth who earned stipends for their work. The majority of these youth were of low income backgrounds so their stipends helped put food on the family table, paid bills, and supported their school needs for the fall. This program also offered youth the opportunity to earn high school credits during the summer that they would not have otherwise had the chance to receive because of their financial inability to pay for summer school and/or because of their need to work to support themselves and their family over the summer. The program helped all of these youth catch up on credits and get them in better shape to graduate from high school with a diploma in hand. Through our field trip program, we engage hundreds of children in hands-on farm exploration where they learn about soil, plants, food, and community. We help them explore the question, "where does our food come from?" through activities that help them connect to their local food system. Youth in our school program apply their education about farming and agricultural science to lead field trips for younger students from elementary, middle, and preschools in the area. Approximately 350 children visited the farm in the spring and fall of 2013. Farm field trips connect children with health, self-esteem, and positive life changes that some with growing and eating good food. The goal is to empower children with the basic knowledge to grow and eat nutritious food, work together as a team, and think strategically about community nutrition issues.”

“2013, we built 70 new residential gardens throughout thurston and mason counties. We also re-established our garden mentoring program, expanded our gardener engagement, developed new educational workshops, and launched a garden-based education program for children. In 2013, our gardens served 66% families with children, 29% single mother families, 36% of households had one or more family member with a disability, 14% households with seniors, and 69% housholds with nutrition- related chronic health issues. Based on post-gardening season survey results, we know that we made the following impact on our garden recipients: 58% now know how to grow their own vegetables; 61% use their homegrown vegetables regularly in their cooking; 26% decreased their reliance on the food bank; 32% started eating 2-3 cups of fresh vegetables daily; and 32% experienced an increased in food security.”

“Launch its own replicated grub-like program embedded at ohs called bear grub. We continue to actively partner with ohs as they further develop their program and seek our support. Fall 2013, we formed a partnership with gray's harbor county public health and social services to support their replication of our cultivating youth employment program in gray's harbor in collaboration with several agencies, such as educational services department 113 youth programs and the housing authority of gray's harbor county. We brought a unique voice in regional collective impact work through the pacific mountain youth alliance, urging local organizations to think holistically about youth as contributors to our community. We also began conversations with community partners in mason and kitsap counties about supporting their own replication of our program. Fall 2013, we successfully garnered state support through the office of superintendent of public instruction for the more comprehensive evaluation, documentation, and dissemination of our successful program models so that we can make them available for more than 20 school districts in washington state that are looking to implement agriculture-based, dropout prevention and reengagement programs.”