All of our project managers have described below what they were able to do with this awesome grant.

Since starting my position at CNGF as the main grant writer and the leader of the Grant Writing Team in October, I have helped develop and apply for over ten grants. Our team of four interns, working closely with the president and founder, Alrie Middlebrook, has established clear goals and objectives for this next semester. We aim to identify and apply to more than five grants per month, look into partnerships and promote collaborations between our foundation and similarly interested and invested corporations, continue to make connections, and continue to our work with more of California’s school districts. This team looks forward to a fantastic semester as we further the mission and values of this organization.

Thank you.

–Samantha Barnes,

Grant Writing Team Leader

 

 

–Rebecca Lucas

“Eating California” Project Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before I became involved with the California Native Garden Foundation, I knew that I wanted to serve my community by helping bridge the gap between the earth and our plates. As the “Eating California” Project Manager for CNGF and the curator of The Middlebrook Center, home to both CNGF and Middlebrook Gardens. I am able to connect with young students and community members to educate about healthy living, healthy eating, and the importance of sustaining natural ecosystem services to sustain our future. With your generous grant money, we are able to continue hosting events that act as educational tools for the community to learn about native Californian edible plants, how to live in a way that reduces stress upon natural resources, and reminding ourselves of the pure beauty and life our earth provides us.

Thank you.

 

 

 

-Brendan Ruiz

ELSEE Educator

 

 

 

 

 

Our ELSEE classes are off to a great start! Our students from St. Leo’s have planted native and edible plants in our new living playstructure at our flagship garden on Race Street, and are looking forward to cooking some delicious food with the fruits, vegetable and herbs that it will produce later this year. Other classes who have visited our garden on field trips have helped out in the garden feeding snails to our fish and transplanting vegetable seedlings. We have also begun working with several classes at Independence High School and Pegasus High School in San Jose. Using an aquaponics system that their greenhouse club helps to operate, we teach a variety of subjects to supplement their classroom learning with fun, engaging, hands-on lessons and activities in the greenhouse and around their campus. We’re looking forward to starting ELSEE classes in several other local schools in the coming months.

Thank you.

 

Funds from our schools, donations, events and other foundations and corporations have also helped fund your work.

Stay up to date with the Middlebrook Center by visiting our website or come see in person at 76 Race Street in downtown San Jose and see what we’re doing. We are open during the week until 4PM and on the weekends during our events. Check our our website for updates http://middlebrookcenter.com/elsee/