MARYSVILLE, Ohio, Jan. 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To address the need to connect more children to gardens and outdoor play, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation today opened its GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants with national nonprofit KidsGardening. Supporting ScottsMiracle-Gro’s broader mission to reach 10 million kids with garden and greenspace programming by 2023, this program is designed to bring the powerful benefits of gardening to more children.
As inflation continues to impact families struggling with food insecurity, it’s a critical time to connect kids with the fresh food and positive experiences that gardens provide. In the past years, ScottsMiracle-Gro and KidsGardening have seen firsthand how communities are using gardening to provide relief for those in need.
“2023 marks KidsGardening’s 41st year and our second decade working alongside The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. Yet, now more than ever, kids and their communities need gardens and greenspaces,” said Em Shipman, executive director of KidsGardening. “Many people are still experiencing the effects of the pandemic, be it financially, physically or emotionally. We are seeing youth garden programs rise to the opportunity to care for their neighbors in the way they do best: providing fresh food and safe spaces for community members to grow, learn and gather. We are immensely grateful to partner with The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation to support these programs.”
The GroMoreGood Grassroots Grants will fund all types of community-driven garden and greenspace projects that directly engage youth, including school and community gardens, urban farms, pollinator gardens and outdoor playscapes. Grant funding will support the creation of new garden projects and the expansion of existing ones. The 2023 application is available now at www.kidsgardening.org/grant-opportunities/gromoregood-grassroots-grant-23.
“This year, we will achieve our goal of reaching 10 million kids with the benefits of gardens and greenspace programming,” said Brian Herrington, president of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation. “We could not have done it without the help of incredible partners like KidsGardening. The stories of inspiration, the spark of imagination, the opportunities to play in the dirt, the ability to grow fresh vegetables, the spaces to improve mental health – that’s why we do this. It’s truly an honor to support this work.”
The GroMoreGood Grassroots Grant application will be open until February 10, 2023. In 2023, 160 programs will be awarded $500-$1,500 to start or expand their youth garden or greenspace, based on youth engagement, community impact and sustainability, among other factors. Winners will be announced on March 17, 2023. Awards will be distributed by the end of March 2023.
About The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
The mission of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation is to inspire, connect and cultivate a community of purpose. The Foundation is deeply rooted in helping create healthier communities, empower the next generation, and preserve our planet. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that funds non-profit entities that support its core initiatives in the form of grants, endowments and multi-year capital gifts. For more information, visit www.scottsmiraclegrofoundation.org.
About KidsGardening
KidsGardening is a national nonprofit organization creating opportunities for kids to play, learn, and grow through gardening. They provide grants and original educational materials to more than 3.8 million kids across the country. For more information and to support their work, visit www.kidsgardening.org.
Contacts:
Kenny Dieglio
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation
614-345-8663
kenny.dieglio@scotts.com
Beth Saunders
KidsGardening
802-660-4603 (office)
BethS@kidsgardening.org
