ABOUT THE ELGIN COMMUNITY GARDEN NETWORK (ECGN):
ECGN is a network of community gardens in and around Elgin, Illinois that focuses on sustainable
living education via community gardening while providing fresh produce to our area food pantries and
homeless shelters.
WHY WE DESERVE THE GRANTS & SUPPLIES:
Winning the grant from Nature’s Path Organics will give us the opportunity to expand our main
sustainability education activities and gardens within Lords Park Zoo, the Gail Borden Public
Library and additional NEW locations into a viable and sustainable program for the betterment of all
Elginites! The grant monies will allow us to build more gardens, grow more produce and better serve
the underprivileged residents of Elgin already taking advantage of our fresh produce donations at
the shelters, those familes looking to learn gardening skills to bring into their own back yards,
and those looking to possibly rent-garden-space and form a partnership with our neighborhood level
gardens in the ECGN. It is a goal for the end of this season’s Harvest to add on programs to teach
about preserving the surplus food, build onto our composting program, install additional rain
barrels and create additional sustainable living workshops to help the citizens plan and prepare for
the 2011 season. Being a partner with Nature’s Path Organics will help Elgin, Illinois rise about
the stereotypes of unhealthy living and being titled the ‘fattest city in Illinois’ in 2008 by
the Chicago Tribune.
ABOUT OUR GARDENS:
Our primary teaching garden is located within Lords Park Zoo in the middle of Elgin’s historic
108-acre Lords Park. Our gardens were started in 2009 with 8 raised beds and a large watermelon
patch, and have grown to 4 additional garden-teaching sites around town. We are connecting families
with nature, growing foods organically, harvesting and distributing 100% of the produce back to
those in need in our community. We have the partnership with the City of Elgin to use public-land
with the zoo, at our nature center, and library, plus our own Bison herd at the zoo supplied 'Bison
Pies to Fertilize' (believe us, this was just enthralling for the kids).
In 2010, several neighborhood associations, schools, business and groups have also joined into the
ECGN fun to start their own gardens and “Plant a Row for the Hungry” to be distributed via the
ECGN volunteers.
OUR MISSION:
1. To teach Sustainable skills
2. To feed the hungry in Elgin
3. To build community while connecting people & nature
WHO ARE OUR VOLUNTEERS?
Everyone! Individuals, families, and groups of all kinds are warmly welcome to engage in hands-on
gardening activity at any of our sites. Clubs, youth groups, businesses, churches, non-profits…
all are invited! In 2008 Elgin, Illinois was noted as the ‘fattest city’ in Illinois –
together our community is working to be more sustainable for the 110,000 residents and teach these
skills to our next generation, one garden plot, tree, park, bike path and family activity program at
a time!
WHO ARE WE?
The Elgin Community Garden Network (ECGN) is an Associate Member of the Elgin Community Network, a
501c3 non-profit organization working in partnership with the City of Elgin on various community
initiatives, including a large 10,000 person *free* community dinner on June 5th to connect our
neighbors with worthy organizations in town. We are 100% volunteer run and operated.
Learn more: www.ElginCommunityGardens.org
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