Gardening

Gardeners,

We want to combine your love of growing things, spring fever, and your desire to help those in need. Mark you calendars for April 15th and May 20th.

This is an inter-agency effort here in the 1900 Bldg., including BPS, BDS, BES, Water, Fire, & PBOT in partnership with IRCO (Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization). We are planning two charitable events -- vegetable plant swaps and sales. These will benefit refugees and immigrants in Portland, via IRCO. The goal is to assist immigrants and refugees in getting started with growing some of their own vegetables.

Here's how it works:
1. You are encouraged to start extra vegetable plants from seed in the coming weeks. Now is a good time to start them inside.

2. On the 3rd Thursdays in April and May (April 15th and May 20th), bring your extra veggie starts to the 1900 Bldg, 4th floor kitchen.

3. You can take one plant for free for every plant you donate or you can buy the veggie starts your colleagues bring in.

Here's how it benefits refugees and immigrants -- The extra plants that aren't swapped or sold will be donated to IRCO for them to distribute to those in need so they can grow some of their own vegetables this spring and summer. The money raised will be used to buy trowels, gardening gloves, and other gardening tools, and distributed to those in need by IRCO.

If you have questions, please contact Rebecca Esau or Chris Scarzello.

We hope you'll participate either by planting seeds now and donating the starts, or coming to buy some veggie starts!