Seeds of Success was created in the spring of 2010 through a partnership between Community Action Duluth, the A.H. Zeppa Foundation, and the City of Duluth. Seeds of Success provides transitional green jobs to low-income Duluthians who work transforming vacant urban lots into sources of farm-fresh vegetables. Grown using sustain-able farming methods, our vegetables flourish at more than ten sites scattered across the city.
Click here for the Seeds of Success photo album.
Download our Seeds of Success Land Donation brochure.
Growing Vegetables ... Growing Prosperity
 |
 |
 |
|---|
How do I get involved?
Volunteer: We are seeking motivated volunteers to help us grow. Our volunteers dig beds, plant seeds, weed, wa-ter, build fences and more. Volunteers also help us harvest and income-eligible volunteers get to take home some of the produce they helped to raise. With your help, we can provide positive work experiences to un- and underem-ployed Duluthians and improve food access for all. If you would like to get involved by volunteering, please contact our Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Lee.
Sarah Lee: 218.726.1665 x34 or email: sarahlee@communityactionduluth.org.
Donate supplies and funds
Seeds relies on donated tools and supplies to develop gardens. We're especially in need of power tools (lawn mowers, weed whips, rototillers, and drills/drivers) and lumber for building raised beds. We can always use money to buy what we can't get donated and to pay more people to work with us. If you have either of these things, get in touch with Program Manager, Michael Latsch.
Michael Latsch: 218.726.1665 x45 or email: michael@communityactionduluth.org.
Innovation Award presented to CAD
Sponsored by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) and MAP for Nonprofits, excellence and mission awards were awarded to 6 Minnesota organizations in the presence of more than a thousand of their nonprofit peers Oct. 7 at an awards ceremony held during the Minnesota Council of Nonprofit's 25th Annual Conference.
The Innovation Award was presented to Community Action Duluth for 2 green jobs projects – Duluth Stream Corp and Seeds of Success Urban Farming
Community Action Duluth -- Community Action Duluth has created two Green Jobs initiatives to further its mission to employ innovative strategies that will mobilize low-income people and communities. Community Action Duluth's Seeds of Success program hires individuals to grow vegetables in distressed lot locations throughout Duluth. Through Seeds of Success, Community Action Duluth has developed nine garden sites. The program has provided 75 volunteers with the opportunity to learn basics of vegetable planting and harvesting. Thirteen people have been employed this summer are learned valuable job skills. Community Action Duluth's second program, Stream Corps, works to restore the 42 streams that pass through Duluth on the way to Lake Superior. Through the EPA funded Stream Corps, Community Action Duluth has planted 20,000 trees that will stabilize 20 miles of stream bank over the next two years. Stream Corps employees and volunteers have also learned how to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to integrate marketing, public outreach and forestry.
 |
 |
 |
|---|
Frequently Asked Questions
Who helps with the urban farming plots?
Seeds of Success relies upon both paid employees and volunteers to plant, cultivate, and harvest our produce. Seeds collaborates with a variety of funders to pay our employees, including City agencies and other nonprofits.
Why should I volunteer with Seeds of Success?
For prospective gardeners, Seeds of Success is a great way to learn about growing food. For the experienced, Seeds is a place to give back to the community by sharing your skills.
 |
 |
 |
|---|
What do you do with all that produce?
A portion of the produce grown is sold to restaurants, grocery stores, and at farmer's markets; we use the proceeds to support the program. The rest is distributed to employees, volunteers, and area food shelves. All told, it's a lot of food-over two tons in 2011!
Is this a community garden program?
No. Seeds of Success is an urban farming program that works to provide jobs and a source of healthy, locally grown food to the Duluth. If you are interested in growing vegetables on your own community garden plot, please contact the Duluth Community Garden Program duluthcommunitygarden.org
 |
 |
 |
|---|
What is Seeds doing about the big picture of food access and food justice?
That's a good question. We're in the process of figuring out how to engage with these pressing policy questions. If you have a passion for working on them, contact Sarah Lee at 218.726.1665 ext. 34 or via email sarahlee@communityactionduluth.org and see what we're up to.
Visti www.CityDiggity.com an Urban Gardening blog, and friend of our program.
 |
|---|
