The Grow More Vegetables Seed Grant Program helps schools and community programs provide hands-on experiences with gardening.
By Lynn Grooms / Photo by Growing Partners' Day Camp / Photo by Chemistry Through Agriculture
The love of gardening is taking root in a growing number of communities, thanks to the Syngenta Grow More Vegetables Seed Grant Program. Now in
its third year, the program assists schools and community organizations
in establishing or enhancing local garden programs that create
opportunities to educate their communities on the benefits of fresh
vegetable production and consumption.
Each year, Syngenta awards one grant in each of the following
categories: elementary and middle schools, high schools and FFA
chapters, and community groups and organizations. Grant recipients
receive a variety of Syngenta seed, including tomato, pepper, cucumber,
On Crazy Hat Day at Growing Partners' Day Camp, second-grade boys rotate through the garden for a lesson on harvesting.
lettuce, squash, green bean, sweet corn and watermelon varieties, as
well as a flower seed mix from the Flowers, Home & Garden division of Syngenta. The award package also includes a monetary stipend and
hand-held camera for capturing the season's progress.
"Our garden benefits the urban Milwaukee community by exposing children
of all backgrounds and abilities to gardening," says Lynn Falender,
development director of JCC. "It also brings a nutritious food source to
more than 8,300 families annually."
Kim Finnerty, a chemistry teacher at Edward Little High School, points
to the educational benefits of her school's garden. "With the program,
you have the opportunity to watch high school students, who are usually
rough-and-tumble, go in and work with more than 500 participating
elementary school kids and really make a difference by teaching them
about agriculture and food," she says.
Lauren Cluff, a teacher at Mesa's Hawthorne Elementary, notes, "We want
the families to be happy that their kids are here and to feel they're
getting a special opportunity."
The Grow More Vegetable Seed Grant Program is a collaborative effort
spearheaded by two Syngenta employees: Mary Streett DeMers, senior
Chemistry Through Agriculture students Makala O'Brien and Owen Voisen harvest broccoli. The program educates students about soil chemistry, pest identification, companion planting and harvesting methods.
communications lead for vegetables, and Jeannine Bogard, garden
vegetables product business manager. Both DeMers and Bogard frequently
receive requests for seed from various organizations. They recognize
that Syngenta has an opportunity to not just provide packets of seed,
but to also make a positive difference in people's lives.
Syngenta selects grant recipients based on various factors, including
the positive impact the program is likely to have on its participants
and the local community.
The program is just one example of how Syngenta is bringing The Good Growth Plan to life by supporting organizations that share its passion
and commitment to sustainable agriculture.
The application period for the 2015 Grow More Vegetables Seed Grant
Program is now open. Syngenta welcomes agricultural resellers to spread
the word about this important program on their websites, in newsletters
and with their sales teams. Interested organizations may complete
applications online at www.vegetables.syngenta-us.com.
