A staple saying of our program is “creating wildly successful gardeners.”
Well, here are some stories of Sidestreams wild success…
In three short seasons with 500 Gardens Madisonville we have:
Built and rehabbed 475 gardens
Donated close to 450lbs of fresh vegetables to Madisonville food pantries and free community meals
Brought in over 1,000 hours of volunteer work into the community
Sold nearly one ton of fresh vegetables and eggs at the Madisonville Garden Market
Held 30 beginning gardening classes
Hosted 10 community gatherings
Testimonials
“Thank you. The program is very helpful for the grandkids to experience gardening.”
“I love working in the lighthouse school gardens; I work with interesting people, doing relevant work, and learning constantly!!”
“I am so glad this opportunity came to our neighborhood- I have always thought about starting a garden but never knew where to start or took the time to research it. I am looking forward to getting started again this year!”
“We are so grateful for our raised bed and starter plants! 500 Gardens is a great way to bring the Madisonville community together. We are beginners and probably wouldn’t have discovered the joy of gardening without this project!”
“I love my raised garden. I was so thankful and proud of it. It helped with not putting too much strain on my back.”
“I have seen firsthand the difference this program has made. Not only is there now fresh, nutritious food more readily available in Madisonville area, fewer families are struggling as a result. I have thoroughly enjoyed eating and cooking what I and my family have grown, as well as socializing at the 500 Gardens events. I encourage anyone who is not familiar with 500 Gardens to do a little research. The connections I have made and the information I have gleaned are priceless. I am more than grateful for this opportunity. Feed a Man, and He Eats for a Day. Teach a Man to Garden, and He Eats for a Lifetime!”
