Growing Good Humans with Growing Gardens

In this special episode, I'm excited to be part of Podcasthon 2026, an initiative to showcase charities around the world through podcasting. Joining over 1200+ global podcasts each featuring our favorite charitable organization to encourage fundraising and awareness for their good work.

Today, I'm with Carla Manuel of Growing Gardens to share their Youth Grow program that is currently implemented in ten Title I schools in Portland, OR. Growing Gardens is a Portland, Oregon based nonprofit using the experience of growing food in schools, backyards and correctional facilities to cultivate healthy and equitable communities. The Youth Grow program collaborates with ten Title I schools to maintain beautiful, productive school gardens. Their educators engage youth in food and gardening, helping them develop new perspectives on food, health and the world around them. The Youth Grow Program fosters an ethic of stewardship and connection to nature while supplementing fresh food access and building healthy food habits among elementary-aged students.

Since this is a special fundraising episode, please consider donating to Growing Gardens here.

References and resources:

Learn more about Growing Gardens here.

Learn more about Podcasthon and see all the participating podcasts here.

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I'd like to thank Jaya Lakshmi for lending me her song, This is the Day, for our intro and outro.