Growing Together: Community Garden + Gleaning Project

  • Location
    Cumberland, Maine
  • Status
    Active
  • Age Level
    Any Age

The Problem

WPC is a low-cost, community-centered option for families, particularly those facing financial, geographic, and neurodivergent-related barriers during a time of rising food and living costs. WPC addresses growing social isolation, disconnection from nature, and a lack of accessible hands-on learning opportunities for children and families. Through intergenerational community building, environmental stewardship, gardening, food-focused community initiatives, and experiential education, WPC creates meaningful opportunities for belonging, practical skill-building, stewardship, and local impact while helping families strengthen their connection to food systems, nature, and one another.

Our Plan

WPC plans to develop and expand youth-led community gardening, environmental stewardship, and food access initiatives that combine hands-on education with meaningful community impact. Children and families will participate in activities such as garden planning, square foot gardening, companion planting, pollinator support, rainwater collection, harvesting, and food donation efforts for local community support systems. The project will provide accessible, nature-based learning opportunities while helping families build practical food-growing skills, strengthen community connections, and increase understanding of sustainability, stewardship, and local food systems.

Themes Addressed

  • term icon
    Community
  • term icon
    Education
  • term icon
    Environmental Justice
  • term icon
    Food Insecurity

The Benefit

  • term icon
    People
  • term icon
    Environment
About Roots & Shoots

We are nurturing the compassionate leaders of tomorrow.

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