From the plains of the Midwest to Washington D.C., we are thrilled to share site openings and ground-breakings for new Sacred Places that expand on existing partnerships and welcome new organizations to the Network!
New site openings:
- In partnership with Washington Parks & People, we welcomed two new sites into the Network. Columbia Heights Green and Marvin Gaye Greening Center, both located in Washington D.C., are now open and operating community farm Sacred Places.
- Columbia Heights Green, nestled between a series of brick alleyways, the site features a fire pit, and the newly refreshed “Spice Lady” garden, in honor of a former resident with a passion for gardening in this space.
- Marvin Gaye Greening Center features hoop houses, an edible garden and demo kitchen. Local community artists’ work lines the fence, to bring attention to the site from the street.
- Bon Secours Urban Farm, one of two new Sacred Places, and one of four sites in partnership with Bon Secours Community Works, is another site that we recently welcomed into our growing group of active community farming sites.
- This site features tilapia aquaponics, an apiary, rotating crops, community garden plots, a classroom area, operating kitchen with refrigerated storage, and an apple orchard.
Ground breakings (and blessings!):
- Earlier this month, construction kicked off for the Sacred Place at the Urban Dreams Courtyard in Des Moines, IA.
- Urban Dreams Courtyard will include features such as a performance stage, phone charging stations, percussion play instruments, a community garden, and a little free food pantry.
- On May 22nd, rather than a ‘groundbreaking’, Bethany House and Garden in Topeka, KS dubbed their construction kick-off a ‘ground blessing’, and welcomed members of the community to participate in a small service led by Firesoul and Reverend Jenn Allen. Participants were even given a bag of soil to take home and bless their own gardens.
- Bethany House & Garden is located on three acres that once hosted the College of the Sisters of Bethany, an Episcopal school for girls that closed in 1928. In collaboration with landscape architects local to the community, the garden will feature a long, winding path for visitors to stroll, a meditation area and culinary garden. Produce will be used in community cooking classes, and to help stock local food banks. Bethany House and Garden is planning to host a larger grand-opening celebration this fall.
- In April a community work day kicked off construction of Strength to Love II’s Sacred Place. This site is one of four Sacred Places in partnership with Intersection of Change in Baltimore.
- Strength to Love II offers workforce development and employment to community residents and citizens returning from incarceration.The 1.5 acre site features an active harvest garden, living classrooms, and a farmers market — offering healthy food options, educational resources and fun to the community.
