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Growing the
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To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
G.I.V.E.
Gardens Inspiring Volunteerism and Education Why G.I.V.E.? According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a "food desert" is an area in the United States with limited access to affordable and nutritious food, particularly an area composed of predominantly low-income neighborhoods and communities. A G.I.V.E. Garden supplements a family or individual's diet with fresh vegetables and herbs and encourages fresh air and gardening exercise.
G.I.V.E. gardens began in April 2009 when a family living in a food desert wanted Urban Oasis to teach them how to make a food garden. The mother had a new baby on the way, the father was working long hours in retail, and the 4-year-old daughter was very excited to grow vegetables to eat. Their learning time was limited, and instead of teaching with just words and diagrams, we decided the best way to learn was by practice.
With a handful of volunteers and donated materials, the first G.I.V.E. garden was planted with a lot of hands-on learning for the recipient family.
Since the first G.I.V.E. garden was planted, many more have arisen, teaching recipients who then inspire others and teach their neighbors to make their own gardens (often without our help). Hundreds of volunteer hours have been donated from people with a lot of expertise (Master Gardeners) to people with no experience.
Philosophy
Located in Miami, Florida, Urban Oasis Project was a volunteer-based group for two years and, in February 2010, incorporated as a Florida not-for-profit organization. At the Urban Oasis Project, we believe that good, clean, healthy food should be accessible to all- so we run Farmers Markets, we plant gardens with low-income families, and we support many local farms by bringing their produce to markets. In past years we ran our own farms, but we are focusing on all the other parts of our mission this year.
We accept SNAP benefits and double their value for Florida grown fruits and veggies, and we bring our mobile market to local health centers to support our Fruit and Veggie Prescription (FVRx) clients.
Urban Oasis Project prides itself in being an inclusive non-profit organization, embracing all people who support our mission regardless of religious preferences, sexual orientation, economic status, ethnicity, age, or disability. Urban Oasis experiments with all gardening and farming philosophies that do not harm the environment.
We accept SNAP benefits and double their value for Florida grown fruits and veggies, and we bring our mobile market to local health centers to support our Fruit and Veggie Prescription (FVRx) clients.
Urban Oasis Project prides itself in being an inclusive non-profit organization, embracing all people who support our mission regardless of religious preferences, sexual orientation, economic status, ethnicity, age, or disability. Urban Oasis experiments with all gardening and farming philosophies that do not harm the environment.