Sophisticated Giving: Gateway Greening — Sophisticated St. Louis

Sophisticated Details: Gateway Greening is a St. Louis-based non-profit that has been working to support urban gardening communities throughout St. Louis City and St. Louis County for more than 35 years. We are a community of gardeners, farmers, teachers, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and volunteers building communities throughout St. Louis.

Sophisticated Connections: At Gateway Greening we believe that community led gardens and orchards connect people to the land, their food, and each other. These connections can transform the St. Louis region into a rooted and resilient urban community. Our mission is to educate and empower individuals to strengthen their communities through urban agriculture. Gateway Greening supports a network of more than 240 community lead gardens including 90+ school gardens, and 40+ urban orchards with materials, resources, and ongoing education.

Gateway Greening works with existing communities to found food-producing community gardens for long-term sustainability to battle food insecurity, and offer access to healthy food. Through the 90+ gardens participating in our School Garden Program, students spent time outside exploring how food is grown through hands-on activities while potentially discovering new, healthier foods. Gateway Greening believes that in order to create a stronger, healthier St. Louis, proper nutrition and connection with fresh food is essential.

Sophisticated Goals: In 2020, Gateway Greening found community and gardening is more important than ever. On average, our network of gardens produces more than 3.5 tons of fruits and vegetables yearly, the majority remain within that community garden neighborhoods, and Gateway Greening:

-Supports 240+ community lead gardens including 90+ school gardens, and 40 urban orchards

-Planting at the Giving Grove: 52 trees, 90 bushes, 26 fruiting vines, and 24 cane fruit

-Distributes over 2,225 seed packets

-Teaches more than 24 free in-person and online urban agriculture classes with 1,500+ total attendance

-Facilitates volunteers to support community gardens and its gardeners throughout the St. Louis area

Sophisticated Giving: Donate to support community, urban and school gardens and education programs: gatewaygreening.org/donate. Explore how you or your group can get involved by volunteering: gatewaygreening.org/volunteer.

Gateway Greening is located at 3815 Bell Avenue in St. Louis, MO 63108. To reach a representative, call 314.588.9600.

Gatewaygreening.org

Facebook: GatewayGreening

Instagram: gatewaygreeningstl

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/gateway-greening

Twitter: @GatewayGreening

Gateway Greening appears in this year’s issue of Sophisticated Giving thanks to a generous donation provided by a Sophisticated Giving Angel Donor. To learn more about how you can provide sponsorships to see your favorite nonprofit featured, email craig@slmag.net.

Matt Schindler, Executive Director, mschindler@gatewaygreening.org

Jennifer Kramer, Director of Development and Communications, jkramer@gatewaygreening.org

Board Members:

Matt Hoffman, Husch Blackwell, Board Chair

Julie M. Thomas, Edward Jones, Secretary

April Troxel, USBank CDC, Treasurer

Ann Smith Carr, Community Volunteer

Melanie Bernds, Benson Hill

Susan Brown, Bunge

Dave Collett, Weber Shandwick

Audrey Green, United Soybean Board

Elizabeth Kinney, Twain Financial