Getting Going Growing is a non-profit community collaborative that provides support to school gardens in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Groups involved in this effort are Conexions: Partnerships for a Sustainable Future and the Elizabeth Gamble Garden in partnership with local landscaping professionals.

Why a School Garden?
A schoolyard garden can provide an excellent learning environment for students. The State of California Department of Education recently mandated the creation of a garden on every elementary school campus, realizing that such "living labs" offer unparalleled opportunities for students to:

•  Understand the basics of where food comes from
•  Witness the wonders of the growing process
•  Enjoy the harvest of their efforts

Exploration of the garden can be linked to most content standards, including science, nutrition, math, art, music, language arts, and social studies.

Getting Going Growing can provide schools with:

Resources

•  In-kind support to start or enhance a garden
•  Curriculum and other resources
•  Assistance with volunteer recruitment
•  Fundraising support
  

Technical Assistance

•  Help in determining the scope of the project
•  Garden design
•  Links to experts in community (i.e. irrigation, etc.)
  

Training and Information

•  Announcements of regional workshops about school gardens
•  "How to" hand-out materials
•  Networking opportunities with others involved with school gardens
  

Participating Schools Must Agree to:

•  Acknowledge "Getting Going Growing" and in-kind donors in their publicity about their garden
•  Send a thank you note to in-kind donors
•  Use the garden as an educational tool
•  Allocate an approved site, including infrastructure for water;
•  Develop a plan to implement and sustain the garden;
•  Form a leadership team to coordinate the effort at their site; and
•  Appoint a single liaison or point person to help ensure clear communication

For more information, please contact:
Susan Stansbury at 650-328-7756 x626 or sstansbury@fgconline.org

Getting Going Growing, a non-profit technical and resource clearinghouse, can help you get your garden growing. We provide assistance with your specific garden needs. Below are listed some of the skills and help we can provide along with the persons that can best provide that help. We have listed their phone and email addresses so that you can contact a helper directly. We hope that we can be of service to you and help you start and keep your gardens growing.

* Merrill will propagate plants for schools in Gamble Garden's greenhouse. Students can experience the process hands on at Gamble Garden, or you can simply request certain plants from what is offered.