Ending food insecurity for our community.
Our Programs
Grow Jackson runs four main programs that work together to improve fresh food access, education, and health in our community.
Our Community Garden Program transforms empty spaces into shared gardens where neighbors grow fruits and vegetables together. These gardens provide free, fresh produce and bring people together through teamwork and healthy living.
The School Garden Program partners with Jackson Public Schools, Jackson Catholic Schools, Western School District, and Rise Above to connect classroom learning with hands-on gardening. In 2025, we’ll work in over 60 classrooms and serve more than 1,500 students. Kids learn about science, nutrition, and how food affects their health.
Our Community Nutrition Program provides free community dinners, grocery giveaways, and support for families using SNAP (food assistance). In 2025, we’re expanding to include more lessons on healthy snacking, garden-based recipes, and meal planning.
Through our Urban Agriculture Workforce Development Program, we hire local youth ages 16–21 for paid summer jobs in our gardens. Participants receive pre-apprenticeship training, financial literacy education, and case management support while gaining job skills and helping grow healthy food for the community.
Together, these programs build a stronger, healthier Jackson—one garden, one classroom, and one family at a time.
Ending food insecurity for our community.
Community Nutrition Program
Grow Jackson’s Community Nutrition Program helps people in our community access healthy food and learn how to use it in everyday life. The program includes free community dinners, grocery giveaways, and support for people using or applying for SNAP (food assistance) benefits. We work to make sure everyone feels welcome and has the tools they need to feed themselves and their families well.
In 2025, we’re excited to expand this program by offering more education around healthy snacking, balanced meals, and recipes using fresh foods from our gardens. Our team will share fun, easy ways to eat well—whether it’s through cooking demos, garden-based lessons, or food tastings at events.
This program is about more than just giving out food. It’s about helping people feel confident in the kitchen, making the most of what they have, and creating community around healthy meals. By focusing on both access and education, we’re working to build a healthier Jackson for everyone.
Ending food insecurity for our community.
Community Gardening
Grow Jackson’s Community Garden Program turns empty lots into vibrant spaces where people can grow fresh fruits and vegetables together. These gardens are located in neighborhoods, senior living communities, and other local gathering spots. We work with neighbors and volunteers to plant, water, and care for each garden during the growing season. Anyone in the community is welcome to help out and share in the harvest.
Our gardens do more than grow food—they grow connection. By working together, people build friendships, learn how to grow healthy food, and enjoy time outdoors. These gardens also help fight hunger by giving families access to free, fresh produce right in their own neighborhoods. In 2024 alone, our gardens grew thousands of pounds of food that supported free grocery giveaways, community dinners, and nutrition classes.
This program is part of our mission to make healthy food available to everyone in Jackson. Whether you’re planting your first seed or teaching others what you know, our gardens are a place where everyone can belong.
Ending food insecurity for our community.
Urban Agriculture Workforce Development Program
Each summer, Grow Jackson hires students ages 16 to 21 to be part of our Urban Agriculture Workforce Development Program. These young people help grow, care for, and harvest food in our gardens while gaining valuable paid work experience. The program is designed to meet Grow Jackson’s seasonal labor needs—but more importantly, it provides a life-changing opportunity for local youth.
Participants receive pre-apprenticeship training, financial literacy education, and one-on-one support to meet basic needs like transportation, food, and other services. This program helps young people build confidence, learn responsibility, and explore future careers—all while making a real impact in their community.
By working with Grow Jackson, students become leaders in local food access. They learn how food systems work, why fresh food matters, and how they can make a difference. It’s not just a summer job—it’s a stepping stone toward a brighter future. To get involved future interns can apply here!
Ending food insecurity for our community.
School Garden Program
Grow Jackson’s School Garden Program brings learning to life through hands-on gardening experiences. We partner with Jackson Public Schools, Jackson Catholic Schools, Western School District, and Rise Above to teach students about food, science, and health—right in their schoolyards. By working in over 60 classrooms across 12 school buildings in Jackson County, we help teachers connect lessons in science, health, and the environment to real-life gardening activities.
In the garden, students learn how plants grow, why fresh food matters, and how food choices affect their bodies and communities. They plant seeds, care for gardens, and harvest fruits and vegetables—all while learning important lessons about nature and nutrition. This hands-on experience helps students understand where their food comes from and why it’s important to eat fresh, healthy meals.
In 2025, the program will serve more than 1,500 students across Jackson County. It’s one of the many ways Grow Jackson is helping to build a healthier, smarter future—one school garden at a time.
